Nov 22, 2006 2:30 pm US/Pacific
S.F. Hit & Run Rampage Suspect Ruled Competent
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / AP / BCN) ―
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Omeed Aziz Popal
California DMV
A judge says the man accused of a hit-and-run rampage in San Francisco and Fremont last summer is competent to stand trial.
During a hearing Wednesday morning, the judge in the case of Omeed Popal said Popal is competent to stand trial after reviewing an assessment by a court-appointed psychologist.
Slideshow: Hit & Run Rampage
Raw Video: Crime Scene, Witness StatementsPopal, a 29-year-old Fremont man, smiled and offered greetings to his family for the first time in his fifth court appearance today and answered two questions asked by Judge Mary Morgan with clear affirmatives.
Deputy Public Defender Sandy Feinland said the change was due to a positive reaction to new medication. After the hearing, Feinland told reporters the new medication "relieved a lot of his symptoms," though he would not expound on Popal's condition.
Morgan ordered Popal's psychological report to be filed confidentially with the court and said that criminal proceedings had been reinstated.
Popal is accused of deliberately using his SUV on August 29th to run down people in San Francisco before police were able to stop him.
He's facing 18 counts of attempted murder in San Francisco in connection with the rampage.
In Alameda County, Popal is also facing murder charges in the death of a 54-year-old.
Inside the courtroom, Popal's family and friends occupied three rows of seats and reacted with a gasp as the judge made the announcement. They refused to comment as they left the courtroom.
Representatives of two of the more severely hurt victims in the incident cheered the decision and expressed relief.
"This is a wonderful turn of events," said Shonna Hall, the niece of Leon Stevens, who was released from San Francisco General Hospital Monday after almost two months of reconstructive surgery. "For my uncle, for Susan, I'm just ecstatic."
Susan Rajic, a 43-year-old massage therapist, is now a quadriplegic after being hit that day. Her lawyer, Debra Bogaards, has filed a civil suit that targets not only Popal but also his parents, who own the Honda Pilot.
Bogaards announced today that Stevens would also be included in the civil suit, which seeks an unspecified amount of damages.
Popal waived his right to a quick and speedy trial Wednesday and he is expected to return to department 12 at the Hall of Justice at 9 a.m. on Dec. 5 to set a date for pretrial hearings. Popal has not yet entered a plea.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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