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A Streator woman charged with arson, and while she wore an ankle monitor, will undergo a mental health evaluation.
Amanda R. Wood, 54, appeared Wednesday in La Salle County Circuit Court for a scheduled motions hearing. She is awaiting trial on four felony charges led by aggravated arson, a Class 2 felony carrying three to seven years in prison, for allegedly setting fire to a residence in the 1000 block of East LaRue Street. Damage was not significant.
Public Defender Ryan Hamer disclosed in open court that he wants Wood to undergo a mental health evaluation, although he said there is no bona fide doubt about Wood’s fitness.
La Salle County Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni agreed and scheduled a July 31 status hearing, by which time attorneys in the case should know whether the case can move forward.
Wood was charged May 19 after Streator police found a portion of the home’s siding and a basement door on fire. The fire was quickly extinguished.
Minutes earlier, Wood had allegedly entered the residence and confronted the homeowner, growing loud and throwing objects about, according to open-court statements. That was in defiance of court orders, as she’d been barred from entering the residence and placed on GPS monitoring.