Seven months after Glen Jones was first arraigned on charges stemming from his arrest for assaulting a Jefferson County sheriff’s officer, county prosecutors expect to receive a report regarding his competency to stand trial.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Anna Phillips anticipates the competency report’s arrival by Friday, Aug. 4.

Jones was arraigned Feb. 3 in Jefferson County Superior Court, and was initially held in Jefferson County Jail on two counts of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy Derek Allen was patrolling Brinnon at about noon on Sunday, Jan. 29 when he encountered 59-year-old Jones driving a small Dodge truck, according to a probable-cause statement filed in Jefferson County Superior Court. An ensuing vehicle chase ended in Jones being subdued with a Taser for allegedly attacking Allen with a claw hammer, according to court records.

Art Frank, chief criminal deputy for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, noted that Sheriff Dave Stanko had a staffing study completed last year, which identified the need for an additional seven deputies in the next few years. Frank said that the 19 minutes that Allen spent waiting for backup while he struggled with Jones “is too long to wait.”

Jones himself wound up waiting for a bed at Western State Hospital, where he was ultimately sent for evaluation.

Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Haas explained that a report from Western State Hospital filed Feb. 15 advised the court that Jones “had the capacity to understand the nature of the proceedings, but lacked the capacity to rationally assist in his own defense.”

According to Haas, this report, along with Jones’ refusal to accept medication, led to the Feb. 17 issuance of a 45-day commitment order designed to restore Jones to competency. This was subsequently amended to a 90-day order of commitment on April 7. Unfortunately, according to Haas, efforts to get Jones into a treatment facility were delayed, apparently because of a lack of bed spaces.

“The lack of resources they have is deplorable, but it’s not a funding priority for the state,” Haas said.

Although the defense filed a motion to dismiss because of concerns that the proceedings failed to provide Jones with a speedy trial, on April 21 the prosecutor’s office advised the court that it had received word that a bed would be available at Western State Hospital within the coming week.

By April 28, Haas noted, Jones’ transfer to Western had been confirmed.

Although Jones was sent to Western for 90 days, a status hearing was scheduled for June 23, then followed by another on July 28.