LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — For a second time in as many weeks, a person has been found unfit for trial after being accused of shooting at law enforcement.
Jonny Santiago is accused of killing his father in Volusia County, dumping the body in Orange County, and then getting into a shootout with police in Mount Dora.
A judge declared Santiago incompetent on Thursday, delaying prosecutors’ pursuit of justice.
It’s been nearly 1,000 days since prosecutors said Santiago crashed into a Mount Dora synagogue and shot at police.
Santiago’s attorney, Brian Pakett, said his client has been evaluated several times as they sorted through the charges he murdered his father and dumped the body before the synagogue crash.
It’s similar to what happened last week when a judge also sent Julie Sulpizio to a hospital.
Sulpizio is accused of killing a Lake County deputy in an ambush attack in August.
Both defendants will be treated and reevaluated, with the goal of being competent for trial by then.
Prosecutors say incompetency in cases like these is not that uncommon.
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