KSU grad found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2013 fatal turnpike crash

Photo courtesy of the Toledo Blade

Photo courtesy of the Toledo Blade

A Kent State graduate was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2013 aggravated vehicular homicide deaths of an elderly couple in Toledo.

Andrew Gans, 26, of Kent, was traveling at average speeds of nearly 150 miles per hour when he slammed into the back of 77-year-olds Wilbur and Margaret McCoy’s minivan on Thanksgiving Day in 2013.

According to a Toledo Blade article, Gans was initially charged with four counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, including counts for recklessness and for operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

After alcohol testing done after the crash came back negative, prosecutor Tom Stierwalt dropped the two alcohol-related counts.

Judge John Dewey, of Sandusky County Common Pleas Court, found Gans not guilty by reason of insanity after Gans’ attorney, Terrence Rudes of Port Clinton, said his client has mental illness and believed he heard voices the night of the crash, which took place in Sandusky County’s Rice Township, telling him to outrun demons, the Toledo Blade reported.

Rudes also said Gans believed he was paranoid about the FBI and other agencies and believed he could outrun them by driving his car similar to how cars drive in action movies.

A hearing will take place in 10 to 20 days to determine if and how long Gans would be committed to a psychiatric hospital.

University spokesman Eric Mansfield said in January 2014 that Gans graduated in May 2012 with a degree in computer information systems.

According to a previous KentWired article, Gans was deemed incompetent to stand trial in March 2014 based on the results of a court-ordered mental health evaluation was found competent in February of this year.

Contact Emily Mills at [email protected].