The man accused of driving a garbage truck the wrong way down Interstate 24 and leaving a trail of destruction in his wake will undergo two mental evaluations before court proceedings can continue.
Dylan Lampley appeared Thursday in Marshall County Circuit Court with attorney Jeremy Ian Smith for a status hearing, however that hearing was continued until January, pending the conclusion of two mental evaluations.
Smith told Judge Jamie Jameson that McCracken County Circuit Court Judge Tim Kaltenbach had ordered during an Oct. 30 hearing ordered
Lampley undergo an evaluation to determine whether he is competent to stand trial or be held criminally responsible. Smith said he is also seeking a private psychiatric evaluation.
The state-ordered competency hearing had not been scheduled as of Thursday, though Smith said he expected it to take place in December. The private evaluation, Smith said, was scheduled for the first week of January.
“Under the rules of criminal procedure, all proceedings have to stop until there has been a determination if he is competent,” Smith said. “ … If we stipulate to competency that’s done and over with. If we don’t, the Commonwealth Attorney’s office could send him off, too. So, there’s for sure two (hearings), but there could be three.”
Smith has not yet filed any notice of defense on the grounds of mental defect.
Lampley, 24, of Calvert City, stands accused of first-degree fleeing and evading in a motor vehicle, aggravated DUI, wanton endangerment of a police officer, first-degree possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, second-degree criminal mischief, disregarding a stop sign, reckless driving, resisting arrest, failure to produce license and criminal littering. Charges stem from an incident in March, during which law enforcement officials say Lampley drove a Waste Path garbage truck the wrong way down I-24 beginning near Paducah, allegedly causing multiple collisions and leading police on a pursuit into Marshall County. The chase reportedly ended when officers deployed spike strips on U.S. Highway 62 in Calvert City, deflating tires on the vehicle and causing the driver to strike a guard rail.
Lampley was allegedly discovered to be in possession of and under the influence of methamphetamine upon his arrest. He also faces first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree assault, first-degree fleeing or evading and reckless driving and second-degree criminal mischief charges in McCracken County in connection to the incident.
Lampley is scheduled to appear Tuesday, Jan. 9 in Marshall County Circuit Court.