Current:Home > reviewsCharges dismissed in high-speed attempted murder case near Bismarck-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Charges dismissed in high-speed attempted murder case near Bismarck
lotradecoin setup View Date:2024-12-25 17:03:07
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — All charges have been dismissed in the case of a woman accused of trying to kill a motorcyclist on a highway near Bismarck in 2019.
Court documents indicate the moves came after suspect Dazechnae Willis underwent a mental health evaluation that Burleigh County State’s Attorney Julie Lawyer said determined Willis was “actively mentally ill at the time of the offenses suffering from bipolar disorder with psychosis to an extent that her mental illness interfered with her ability to understand the harmful nature of her conduct,” the Bismarck Tribune reported.
Willis had faced felony charges of intentional murder, aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, and reckless endangerment. She could have been sentenced to decades in prison if convicted.
Willis was driving an SUV with her two young children inside when she struck motorcyclist Kelsey Schaefer, who was thrown under the tandem axles of a semitrailer and suffered multiple injuries, including a serious brain injury, authorities said. Willis and her children were not injured.
A North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper testified last year that she was going 107 mph and accelerating just before the crash, with no signs she hit her brakes.
Willis wasn’t charged until 2021 “due to the complex nature of the investigation and getting records to determine appropriate charges,” Lawyer previously said.
District Judge Bonnie Storbakken last year ordered Willis to undergo a psychological evaluation.
Lawyer in March moved to dismiss the attempted murder charge against Willis “for the reason that due to the information provided in the mental health evaluation, the state does not believe it would be able to prove intent.”
Willis in March changed her plea on the two lesser felonies to not guilty because of a lack of criminal responsibility. The judge soon afterward found Willis not guilty on those charges for that reason. She ordered Willis committed to a treatment facility and said the court would retain jurisdiction for up to five years. The two lesser charges were formally dismissed in early August.
Willis’ status is unclear.
veryGood! (2)
Related
- Kim Kardashian Says Her Four Kids Try to Set Her Up With Specific Types of Men
- Police say an Amazon driver shot a dog in self-defense. The dog’s family hired an attorney.
- Super Bowl 58 is a Raider Nation nightmare. Chiefs or 49ers? 'I hope they both lose'
- How Asian American and Pacific Islander athletes in the NFL express their cultural pride
- 'Love Island UK' stars Molly-Mae Hague, Tommy Fury announce split after 5 years
- 5.7 earthquake reported on big island of Hawaii
- At Texas border rally, fresh signs the Jan. 6 prosecutions left some participants unbowed
- Pakistan’s ex-PM Sharif says he will seek coalition government after trailing imprisoned rival Khan
- These six House races are ones to watch in this year’s election
- Is Kyle Richards Finally Leaving RHOBH Amid Her Marriage Troubles? She Says...
Ranking
- Millions of kids are still skipping school. Could the answer be recess — and a little cash?
- Man who shoveled new channel into Lake Michigan convicted of 2 misdemeanors
- Marvel television crewmember dies after falling on set of Wonder Man series
- Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale announces Senate bid, complicating Republican effort to flip seat in 2024
- How you can get a free scoop of ice cream at Baskin Robbins Wednesday
- A search is on for someone who shot a tourist in Times Square and then fired at police
- Former Mets GM Billy Eppler suspended through World Series for fabricating injuries
- Small plane with 5 people aboard makes emergency landing on southwest Florida interstate
Recommendation
-
Britney Spears' Ex Sam Asghari Reveals Special Girl in His Life—But It's Not What You Think
-
Small plane with 5 people aboard makes emergency landing on southwest Florida interstate
-
'That level of violence is terrifying': Mexican cartel targets tranquil Puget Sound city
-
2 dead after small plane crashes into car, creating fiery explosion on Florida highway
-
A stowaway groundhog is elevated to local icon
-
Drug possession charge against rapper Kodak Black dismissed in Florida
-
Tommy Hilfiger takes over the Oyster Bar in Grand Central for a joyous New York-centric fashion show
-
Super Bowl 2024: Time, channel, halftime show, how to watch Chiefs vs. 49ers livestream