1/3/13 - Court-ordered mental evaluations of a Wixom man suspected in a series of roadway shootings near I-96 remain incomplete, which forced an adjournment of a hearing yesterday in his case. 43-year-old Raulie Wayne Casteel was arraigned last week in Livingston County on charges of domestic terrorism and assault with intent to murder for an incident in Howell Township. Those charges, and any others that might arise out of alleged incidents in Ingham and Shiawassee counties, are being handled by the Michigan Attorney Generalâs Office. Casteel, who remains jailed on a $2 million bond, is also charged with 60 separate counts in Oakland County, including assault with intent to murder and firearms-related charges. Because court-ordered mental examinations for Casteel are still underway at the state forensic center in Ypsilanti, a forensic exam hearing was adjourned Wednesday until January 30th. The tests will try and determine if Casteel is mentally competent to aid in his defense and understands the charges against him. Authorities remain unclear about what led Casteel to carry out the shooting spree, which only injured one motorist, but put area residents and motorists into a state of fear for weeks and prompted the creation of a task force of federal, state and local police. Casteelâs attorney, Doug Mullkoff, has entered not-guilty pleas to the charges, which carry a penalty up to life in prison. (JK)
↧