APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A January 10 trial date was set Friday for a man who allegedly stabbed an Appleton police officer.
Troy VanGrinsven faces four charges, including attempted homicide, for the March 31, 2020, incident.
VanGrinsven has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
Normally, a trial with such a plea has two parts: the first determines guilt or innocence; the second – which is only necessary if there’s a conviction – determines if the defendant should be held responsible for his crime due to his mental state. If found responsible, a jail or prison sentence could be issued. If found not responsible, a commitment to a mental health facility would follow.
In this case, however, a doctor’s report supports the not guilty by mental disease plea, and prosecutors are not seeking a second opinion. That means if a jury would convict VanGrinsven, the second phase would likely not be needed.
Also, a defense motion to dismiss the case will be heard later this year.
According to the criminal complaint:
The series of incidents began just after 2:15 a.m., when Sgt. Tyrell West noticed a vehicle following his marked squad car for an extended distance. West drove toward the police department and notified other officers. Police determined the vehicle was involved in similar activity in other communities. They tried to pull the vehicle over, but the driver took off.
About two hours later, Sgt. West was in the parking lot of the police department. When he got out of his squad car, he noticed a car parked on a nearby street, that appeared to be the same car from the earlier incident.
Sgt. West saw a man standing near the police department’s employee entrance. When Sgt. West tried to talk to VanGrinsven, VanGrinsven charged at him, while holding something in his right hand behind his back. Sgt. West tried to create distance between himself and VanGrinsven, but VanGrinsven attacked with a kitchen knife. Sgt. West was able to get the man on the ground, and other officers arrived to help arrest him.
Both the West and another responding officer, Officer Blankenship, were injured in the attack. They were taken to the hospital, where they were treated and released.
“Off. McCord heard Troy say that he wanted officers to kill him and he was wondering why they had not done so,” the complaint states.
Police talked with his mother, who said “he takes medication and had new pills making him believe everyone was after him.” She called police shortly after he left the his Kaukauna home that night because of the way he was acting.
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