The stoned joyrider accused of fatally running over an EMT and mother of five with her own ambulance last year has been found mentally unfit for trial by court-appointed shrinks, The Post has learned.
The court psychologist and psychiatrist tasked with assessing suspect Jose Gonzalez’s mental state have found him unfit to proceed to trial for the murder of FDNY EMT Yadira Arroyo, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.The DA has until April 13 to either accept or challenge the findings, a spokeswoman for the DA told The Post.
Gonzalez is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, manslaughter and robbery for allegedly commandeering Arroyo’s vehicle and then crushing her under its wheels.
Arroyo and her EMT partner, Monique Williams, had stepped outside of their vehicle to confront Gonzalez because he was joyriding on their ambulance’s bumper, according to reports at the time.
Gonzalez, who has a long rap sheet, then allegedly hopped into the vehicle and tried to drive off. Instead, he backed into and over Arroyo, who was clinging to the side of the ambulance, witnesses said.
Gonzalez later confessed to having smoked “two blunts” laced with PCP and taking the antipsychotic drug Seroquel before the incident, according to court papers.Arroyo’s union, EMS Union Local 2507, called Tuesday’s development a “setback” and vowed to “continue our fight for Yadira’s justice.
“Today’s discovery was no surprise, we knew that this will be the defense tactic, a delay for justice,” the Local 2507, said on its website.
“Regardless of today’s court’s findings, we will continue to show our support to Yadira and her family until justice is served,” the union said.
Gonzalez’s lawyer did not immediately return a request for comment.