A Wayne County judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation for a Geff man facing felony hate crime and aggravated battery charges stemming from an incident at the Fairfield Fall Fun Fest in September.
Bill R. Dobbs of Geff has been ordered to undergo a mental fitness examination after his defense attorney, Heidi Hoffee, raised concerns about his ability to stand trial.
During a pretrial hearing last Thursday in Wayne County Circuit Court, Hoffee advised the court that she had bona fide doubts regarding her client’s mental fitness.
The charges stem from an incident on September 17th at the intersection of Second and Main Streets in downtown Fairfield, where the Fairfield Community High School After Prom Committee was operating a dunking booth during the Fall Fun Fest.
Fairfield Police Officer Logan McGuire, who is African-American, was participating in the dunking booth while his wife, two children and mother-in-law watched nearby.
According to allegations, Dobbs shouted racially offensive remarks toward McGuire, including statements that African-American people were not wanted in Wayne County.
Dobbs is also accused of grabbing the arm of McGuire’s toddler son and questioning the child about his father before continuing to make racially charged statements.
Dobbs faces two Class 3 felony charges, one count of a hate crime and one count of aggravated battery, along with a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.
He is scheduled to return to Wayne County Circuit Court on November 18th for another pretrial hearing.