Driver accused in Canton road rage assault competent to stand trial
By Cassandra Nist - The Repository, Canton, Ohio
Ralph White with his dog Shania whom he thought was lost after the road rage attack but was later found by Canton Police.
Kevin Whitlock - The Independent
CANTON – The driver accused of assaulting a retired steelworker following a car crash has been deemed competent to stand trial.
“He was found legally sane at the time of the case,” defense attorney Ty Graham said following Thursday’s competency hearing in Judge Natalie Haupt’s Common Pleas courtroom.
Travonce Backie, 32, of Canton, had pleaded not guilty reason of insanity, leading to a court-ordered sanity evaluation. The results came back July 7 and concluded Backie was legally sane at the time of the confrontation.
Travonce Backie found competent to stand trial for road rage beating
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Travonce Backie, 34, through defense attorney Ty Graham, filed a motion to change his plea to both not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.
A hearing is set for June in Stark County Common Pleas Court.
What happened to Canton s Ralph White?
Backie is accused of beating a 85-year-old Ralph White when two vehicles collided around 10:39 p.m. in the 2600 block of Eighth Street NE on Feb. 27. White said he was beaten while still in his vehicle. He was hospitalized with multiple injuries later treated and released.
According to police, Backie fled and was arrested by U.S. Marshals, with the assistance of the Canton Police K-9 unit, on March 2. He was released from probation five weeks earlier, having served 10 years in prison for an aggravated burglary conviction.