LAKE CITY, Fla. – A criminal suspect who had three run-ins with the law in three counties in one month is out of the psychiatric hospital and back in jail. It took three years for a judge to decide he will face charges including carjacking.
The last of Ronald Roland Girard’s arrests ended up involving extradition.
A worker in Florida “getting tools out of his [pickup truck] and placing them into his job site” got a rude awakening on the evening of Sept. 30, 2021.
Records show the victim told a Lake City police officer, “While inside the building, he heard his vehicle crank. At this time, [the victim] ran out and observed a [man] with stringy blonde or gray hair, about 5’8”, who appeared to be disoriented, getting inside the vehicle. [The victim] then attempted to make entry into the vehicle, which at that time, the [driver] pushed [the victim] out of the way.
“The [driver] then began to drive away with the vehicle, which at this time ran into a building, which caused damage to the right tail light. The [driver] then hit a fence, which caused damage to two six-foot privacy panels. [The victim] advised he attempted to chase the vehicle on foot.”
A co-worker said “he tried to make entry to the passenger side door, which was locked. [The witness then attempted to punch the glass out of the passenger side window to attempt to enter the vehicle. [The witness] advised that the [driver] attempted to drive the vehicle between two buildings, but there was no opening. [The witness] informed that the [driver] then put the vehicle to reverse and struck the side of a building. The [driver] then placed the vehicle and drive and drove into the fence.” He, too, tried to chase the vehicle on foot.
The owner signed an auto theft affidavit, which was taken to dispatch, and information on the pickup was entered into the police computer database, alerting it as a stolen vehicle.
It didn’t take long to find.
Less than an hour-and-a-half later, a deputy in nearby Gilchrist County said he performed a traffic stop on the Ford Ranger, and Girard was the driver.
Apparently, Girard’s driving hadn’t improved since hitting the building and fence.
“I observed a vehicle traveling towards me,” the deputy wrote in the arrest report, “in the southbound lane traveling north. Upon approaching vehicle, I had to maneuver off to the shoulder of the road to keep from getting struck by the suspect vehicle.
“I turned around and affected the traffic stop on the vehicle,” he continued, “where [the] driver pulled off to the shoulder of the road.”
That’s when he learned “the vehicle was stolen out of Lake City,” and said Girard told him “he did not have a valid license.”
The deputy “asked where he had picked the vehicle up from, at which time he stated a ‘guy named Jim Stewart stated he could take it for a spin, and he had taken it from somewhere in Lake City, Fl.’ Further conversation Girard stated he was going to Washington DC because that is where he is from.
“Later while looking through the vehicle,” the deputy continued, “I found several cards with the [owner’s name] and upon asking Girard who is [that person], he advised that ‘might have been the guy that gave me the truck.’”
Girard didn’t know the owner but the owner — who drove to claim his damaged pickup — described Girard, who was then charged with theft of motor vehicle and driving with a suspended license.
His bond was set at $90,000.
Motion to Appoint Expert/s for a Competency Evaluation, Oct. 18, 2021 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
Then, after 18 days behind bars, his public defender made a “Motion to Appoint Expert/s for a Competency Evaluation.”
First among the reasons: “The defendant has been observed refusing to stay dressed, using toothpaste as make-up, washing his hair in the toilet.”
He concluded having “a good faith belief that the defendant suffers from mental illness or disability, and that as a result he/she may be incompetent to proceed.”
Order Appointing Expert/s for a Competency Evaluation, Oct. 18, 2021 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
The judge approved the request within hours, and assigned a psychiatrist.
The results of the evaluation were not released, but a competency hearing was scheduled for February 2022, and in the end, prosecutors dismissed both charges.
Soon, Girard was returned to Columbia County on a warrant to face charges of carjacking without a firearm or weapon, petit theft $100-$750, and criminal mischief $200-$1,000. His bond was set at $52,000.
Girard was already facing criminal charges for two other acts, also happening in September 2021.
On the morning of Sept. 10, a University of Florida police sergeant was called about someone trespassing at Shands Hospital. “A male subject was observed by Shands security harassing staff and patients inside of Shands for hygiene products,” the Alachua County complaint said. “Shands security asked the subject to leave several times but he refused.” Girard was identified and had already been issued a trespass warning exactly one week earlier, so he ended up with another. He was not arrested, and the next summer, prosecutors decided not to pursue the charge.
Then, on the morning of Sept. 28, Girard he was accused of “making obscene gestures to several minors that were on a Columbia County school bus.” Lake City police responded to what they described as a “disturbance,” and on his Notice to Appear, wrote Girard told them, “He was missing around with the children on the school bus and attempted to hand several children a cigarette. He then made a hand motion to the child, initiating a sexual act.
“This caused [someone whose name was redacted] to tell the subject to stop. [That person] stated that [t]his disturbed him and also agitated him. There was a further disturbance after [that person] confronted Mr. Girard.” Again, Girard wasn’t arrested. He got a Notice to Appear to face a charge of breach of peace.
That never happened.
Ronald Roland Girard's No Information Filed, Nov. 10, 2021 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
Two days later, he was arrested after the pickup truck incident, and in November, the state decided
this case “does not warrant prosecution,” due to Girard “no longer being in the area and not having any criminal history.”
Girard was back behind bars in Columbia County for just over a week when this public defender, like the other, made a Motion for Appointment of [a] Mental Health Expert, but without going into detail.
This judge granted the motion, assigned another psychiatrist, and a hearing was scheduled for April 27, 2022. That was postponed until May 11.
Felony Court Minutes, May 11, 2022 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
On that day, the judge ruled, “Court finds defendant incompetent to proceed and placed on conditional release for restoration treatment.” Also, Girard’s first competency status review was scheduled for six months later, on Nov. 2.
Order on Modification of Conditional Release Plan, July 15, 2022 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
It’s not clear what the judge meant by “conditional release,” but on July 15, “having heard the recommendations of” several parties, he signed an Order on Modification of Conditional Release Plan that Girard be released from jail. That happened on July 20.
From there, Girard was apparently being held in Florida State Hospital.
Felony Court Minutes, Nov. 2, 2022 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
Nov. 2, 2022, came and went, and a competency status review was scheduled for May 3, 2023.
Motion to Continue Competency Hearing & to Continue Placement, April 13, 2023 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
But before that, in March, the judge granted an agreed-upon motion to postpone the next hearing until Nov. 1, 2023, since Girard’s forensic case manager reported he had “not regained competency but is making progress.”
Order Finding Defendant in Violation of Conditional Release, filed July 12, 2023 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
But first, in July, came another type of delay. Girard had done something wrong, and the judge signed an Order Finding Defendant in Violation of Conditional Release. Exactly what he did was not for the public’s eyes.
The judge immediately followed that up with an order for another competency evaluation, and Girard was returned to jail the next day.
Felony Court Minutes, Sept. 27, 2023 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
The next hearing took place in late September, with the court finding the “defendant is incompetent to proceed and committed to the Department of Children and Families for restoration treatment,” with another hearing April 3, 2024.
Felony Court Minutes, April 24, 2024 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
Girard was returned from jail to the state hospital on Oct. 31, and the next hearing — postponed until April 24 — ended as the others: “Defendant remains incompetent to proceed and shall continue commitment to Department of Children and Families.”
Then, finally, a month ago, a breakthrough.
Letter from state to judge, Nov. 21, 2024 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
The hospital treatment staff deemed Girard “competent to proceed,” saying he no longer meets criteria for continued involuntary commitment.”
Order to Transport and Notice of Hearing, Nov. 22, 2024 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
The judge responded by ordering Girard, 60, delivered “to the appropriate detention facility.”
He has been in jail since Dec. 5, and at his last competency hearing on Dec. 18, the judge decided he’s competent to proceed.
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