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October 08. 2014 2:00PM Medford carjacker found guilty but insane Christopher Willard A Medford man who was deemed legally insane when he carjacked a van from an 82-year-old man in Medford last August while armed with a knife was sentenced today to up to 20 years in the Oregon State Hospital. Christopher Cody Willard, 26, was sentenced today by Jackson County Circuit Judge Timothy Barnack to a maximum period under the care of the Psychiatric Security Review Board after finding Willard guilty of first-degree robbery but insane. The legal designation means Willard, who was diagnosed as suffering from a psychotic order, will be transported to the Oregon State Hospital for his incarceration and not to the Oregon Department of Corrections, according to a release today by the Jackson County District Attorney's Office. At about 7:20 a.m. on Aug. 3, the 82-year-old victim was driving east on Jackson Street in his 2006 Odyssey van on his way to the gym and stopped for a red light on Central Avenue. Willard, who was walking, approached the van, opened the door and threatened the man with a knife, demanding he get out of the vehicle, according to Medford police. The victim, who was “clearly in good physical condition,” reacted, Medford police Detective Sgt. Brent Mak said shortly after Willard's arrest. “He kicks the suspect in the groin with his left foot and grabs the knife hand and pulls the suspect down,” Mak said. Willard fell into the van, where he and the victim struggled over the knife. Meanwhile, the van rolled forward into oncoming traffic and up and over the opposite curb, where it struck a rock and broke the victim's foot. A bystander helped the victim from the car and Willard fled in the van, the D.A.'s release said. Less than 10 minutes later, Cpl. Tom Venables spotted the stolen van heading north on Highway 62 in White City. Venables bumped the van with his patrol car and forced the van into a spin. However, Willard was able to regain control of his vehicle and continue. Jackson County sheriff’s deputies, Oregon State Police and Eagle Point police assisted, and officers deployed spike strips, which Willard managed to skirt. Willard pulled over at about 7:47 a.m. near the intersection of Agate Road and Mountain View Drive but refused to leave the vehicle, even after police fired pepper spray into the van, the release said. The standoff lasted about an hour and a half and finally ended when the Medford police SWAT team subdued Willard by Taser and took him into custody at 9:17 a.m., Mak said. Willard was jailed on charges of first-degree robbery, third-degree robbery, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, menacing, third-degree assault and attempting to elude police. A detective who attempted to interview Willard said Willard seemed to be suffering from mental illness and under the influence of a controlled substance, the D.A.'s release said. "Mr. Willard could not form complete sentences, and the interview was stopped," the release said. A psychiatric expert who interviewed Willard three times determined Willard suffered from a psychotic disorder and amphetamine abuse disorder. At the time of the crime, "Willard was not taking his psychotropic medications and was using methamphetamine, which amplified his visual and audio hallucinations," the release said.   http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20141008/NEWS/141009702 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->