Mental evaluations of two suspects come before court

Published 12:32 pm Friday, February 1, 2013

After a second mental evaluation, a Pedro man charged with aggravated vehicular homicide was still found incompetent to stand trial, but doctors say the man may be able to recover from his injuries.

Wednesday, a report from Appalachian Behavior Healthcare in Athens agreed with an early evaluation that stated Nathan Bloomfield, 27, of 12246 State Route 93, was not mentally able to stand trial, but with treatment, may be restored to competency.

Bloomfield is still suffering from brain injuries from a car accident in late June when he allegedly lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree, which killed the passenger of the car.

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A previous evaluation from another agency stated that it was unlikely Bloomfield would be restored to competency, prompting the man’s family to seek another opinion.

Judge Charles Cooper ordered that Bloomfield be transported to Appalachian Behavior Healthcare to begin treatment.

Bloomfield is accused of driving a 1995 Ford Mustang without an operator’s license and with a blood alcohol level of .14. The accident occurred near the 12-mile marker on State Route 93 in Elizabeth Township.

Bloomfield and his passenger, John R. Markel, 62, also of Pedro, were ejected from the car. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said at the time neither man was wearing a seat belt.

Markel was pronounced dead at the scene by the Lawrence County Coroner’s office. Bloomfield was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center.

In an unrelated case, a mental evaluation for Tony Rossiter, 42, of 113 County Road 195, Crown City, was returned from Court Clinic Behavioral Health Solutions, which stated the man was incompetent to stand trial.

Rossiter had previously pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to a second-degree charge of felonious assault.

The man’s attorney, Gene Meadows, asked to obtain his own evaluation, since he recently took on the case.

According to Cooper, neither the prosecution or the defense is bound by the court ordered report and either could request a new evaluation at their expense.

Cooper set a pretrial for Feb. 20.