BOSTON (WHDH) – A Boston man accused of intentionally hitting a Boston art collector has been deemed unfit to stand trial, according to a report from Bridgewater State Hospital.
William Haney, 42, appeared in Boston Municipal Court Friday morning. His attorney had previously mentioned that Haney suffered from schizophrenia and a change in his medication caused him to have problems.
Officials at Bridgewater State Hospital examined him and deemed him incompetent.
Haney is accused of driving up onto the Commonwealth Avenue Mall in January and intentionally hitting a man who was walking his dog. Both the man and the dog died and Haney left the scene, according to prosecutors.
The victim was identified as John Axelrod, a prominent art collector. He was a longtime supporter of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and had donated artwork there.
Haney’s attorney said that despite Friday’s report he expects the criminal case to continue.
“The problems that surround this case stems from the fact that the medication they were trying for him was no longer preventing the psychosis and he was delusional,” Keith Halpern said, Haney’s attorney. “So given that he had years where the medication did work, my expectation is that some point, medication, they’ll find the right medication, he’ll be on it long enough back to competency.”
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