A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge found a man accused of assaulting a Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputy with a vehicle in a grocery store parking lot unfit to stand trial last week, according to court records.
Judge Martha Matthews found Matthew David Wagner, 34, of Torrance, “not presently mentally competent to stand trial,” according to the July 30 minute order for Department 203 in the Mental Health Division of the Hollywood Courthouse.
Under state law, that means Matthews found Wagner is unable to understand the nature of the proceedings against him and can’t assist in a rational defense of the allegations.
The move suspends criminal proceedings against Wagner for at least two weeks pending an involuntary medication order, according to the minute order.
He was ordered back to court in Hollywood, which handles mental health diversion cases, on Aug. 20 regarding his placement status.
SCV Sheriff’s Station deputies arrested Wagner after the station received 911 calls on the evening of June 3 to the Trader Joe’s parking lot off Golden Valley Road.
Wagner was observed driving erratically, according to station officials at the time.
Station deputies responded to the call, found Wagner and attempted a traffic stop on his car. Deputies reported that he attempted to hit them with his vehicle and then left the parking lot.
SCV Sheriff’s Station Sgt. Johnny Gillespie later confirmed the pursuit lasted about 2.5 miles from the parking lot, ending at the intersection of Honey Maple Street and Beech Willow Lane.
Deputies pulled Wagner from his car without incident and arrested him on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon against a public officer without great bodily injury, Gillespie said.
On July 30, Matthews ruled Wagner “lacks the capacity to make decisions regarding psychotropic medication,” and also that a lack of that medication could cause harm to himself or others.
The order is in place for one year or a potential change pending a commitment date at a future hearing, according to the minute order.
While Wagner was remanded to L.A. County Sheriff’s Department custody pending his next hearing and treatment, his case also was sent to the L.A. County Probation Department’s Office of Diversion and Reentry.
