From the courtroom

Drive amok: mentally ill man does not have to be institutionalized

The defendant was lucky: the panel of lay judges decided against committing him to a forensic therapeutic center.

(Bild: Dorn Chantall/Dorn, Krone KREATIV)

At the end of May, the mentally ill man had engaged in a wild chase with the police. Four officers were seriously injured. The trial was scheduled for Monday. 

The 44-year-old from Montafon has been suffering from a mental disorder for years. He was admitted to Rankweil hospital several times as a result. But as soon as he was discharged, the manic-depressive man stopped taking his vital medication on his own authority. And so, after a short time, the blameless man began to suffer from psychosis again. This was also the case at the end of May. "He pretended to be a visitor and wanted to enter the house, even though he had attacked a care worker and was banned from the house," said public prosecutor Johannes Hartmann in his opening statement.

The background: the 44-year-old had fallen in love with a female patient and hoped not to be recognized by the staff. But the plan failed. When the police arrived, the victim fled in his car. On the route from Rankweil via Feldkirch to Frastanz and Nenzing, he engaged in a wild chase with the emergency services. He sped towards officers, rammed into several vehicles and drove through numerous roadblocks. When he hit a police car in Bludesch, he finally left the road and ended up with his car in the bed of a stream. The man was arrested and eventually taken back to Rankweil Regional Hospital. The result of the chase: four injured police officers and three damaged service vehicles. A total of 13 patrols and a helicopter were deployed.

Reinhard Haller prepared the psychiatric report.

(Bild: Alexander Schwarzl)

Defendant was not sane
According to Reinhard Haller's expert opinion, the defendant was not sane at the time of the crime. The defense also relied on this. "My client can only remember waking up in the creek bed and being arrested," said lawyer Hanno Lecher at the hearing on Monday. As the state of health of the man concerned has developed positively since his admission five months ago and he is also prepared to comply with all measures imposed by the court, the panel of lay judges refrained from committing him to a forensic therapy center.

Among other things, the 44-year-old must take his medication regularly. Furthermore, he is not allowed to consume alcohol or drugs and must undergo regular examinations. As he can live with his father and he has agreed to look after his son, the outpatient measure is valid for the next five years. Provided that the person concerned sticks to it. Otherwise he will be placed in inpatient care again.