Court still awaiting competency evaluation on Aaron Knapp

A court is still awaiting the results of a competency evaluation on former Lorain City Council candidate Aaron Knapp to see if he is capable of standing trial on felony and misdemeanor criminal charges. Knapp, 52, of Talbot Lane, was scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 16 in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on felony charges of perjury, evidence tampering, intimidation, obstructing official business and possession of criminal tools and misdemeanor charges of falsification, violating a protection order, obstructing official business and menacing. That hearing was not held. Instead, defense attorney Robert Gargasz emailed the court asking it be delayed until the District V Forensic Diagnostic Center could complete a competency evaluation and provide its report, according to court records. Judge Raymond Ewers ordered Gargasz to set up the evaluation and provide the court with the date and time it will happen by Friday. The judge scheduled the next hearing in the case for Nov. 4. Visiting Judge William McGinty first ordered a competency evaluation the first week of August, with a deadline of Sept. 7. The burden of proof for competency is on the defense. Gargasz must convince Ewers that Knapp is not competent to stand trial — or that he is unable to understand the charges and assist his defense. Knapp was hospitalized after a June 6 motorcycle crash on U.S. Route 6 in Erie County. The Erie County Sheriff's Office cited Knapp with operating without reasonable control, a misdemeanor, after the wreck. It said alcohol use was a suspected factor in the crash. Knapp woke from a weekslong coma the first week of August. Gargasz told The Chronicle-Telegram it was "a miracle."