BY DAN HILDEBRAN
A 38-year-old Lawtey woman was adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to the custody of Florida’s Department of Children and Families for treatment.
Judge James Colaw ruled that when Vera Washington Thompson threw an ax at a vehicle, tried to shoot a motorist with a Glock 27, and threatened a deputy with the ax and the firearm on April 11, she was suffering from schizophrenia and unable to distinguish right from wrong.
The judge made the ruling based on a report by a clinical and forensic psychologist. Colaw involuntarily committed Thompson to the custody of the state agency and ordered that the woman not be released without a court order.
According to an arrest report, the victim told deputies he saw Thompson as he approached his home in the area of Lawtey’s Peetsville Cemetary, and Thompson used landscaping timbers to block his retreat from the narrow lane.
The victim added that Thompson attempted to fire the handgun in his direction, but the weapon misfired. She then threw the ax at his vehicle, breaking the driver’s side headlight.
Deputy Michael Gillick reported that when he arrived at the victim’s residence, Thompson pointed what appeared to be a black rifle toward his patrol vehicle.
“Thompson began yelling as I took cover behind my car, stating that she is the only law around her,” the officer wrote in the report. “I gave Thompson several orders to place the gun on the ground and approach my patrol car.”
“Thompson responded by walking away from my location to the carport area of the residence. Thompson then retrieved what appeared to be a black handgun and a small ax from the carport. Thompson waved the gun in the air and stated, ‘It’s police issued. I. told you I was the only law”.
Gillick added that when the office’s SWAT unit arrived, he relinquished the scene to the unit, which took the defendant into custody.
