Man accused of driving into BSU students was found not competent to stand trial

The man accused of intentionally striking two Bridgewater State University students with his car during Homecoming weekend was found not competent to stand trial when he appeared in court Monday, records show. 

Steven Mayle, 44, of Weymouth, is being evaluated at Bridgewater State Hospital, his attorney said Tuesday. 

During Mayle’s arraignment in Brockton District Court, Dr. Niklos Tomich recommended that Mayle undergo further evaluation “for competency,” which the judge granted, court records show. 

Prosecutors also asked the court to detain Mayle as a danger to the community. The judge ordered him held without bail pending a final dangerousness hearing, per court records. 

A not-guilty plea was entered on Mayle’s behalf during the arraignment, records show. He is charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault to murder, and leaving the scene of a crash. 

The incident happened around 10:45 a.m. Saturday on Burrill Avenue near the Moakley Center academic building. 

Authorities allege Mayle “intentionally” hit two pedestrians with his car after accelerating his vehicle and driving over curbs, Bridgewater State University Police wrote in court documents. 

The victims were a male student and a female student. After striking the students, Mayle allegedly fled “at a high rate of speed on two flat tires,” police wrote. 

The female student suffered a concussion, head trauma, and other, minor injuries. She remained hospitalized overnight Sunday, police said. 

The male student suffered minor injuries and immediately helped the other student following the crash, per court documents. 

Mayle is also suspected of being the driver who brandished a knife during a road-rage incident in East Bridgewater earlier Saturday, police said. 

An attorney for Mayle told Boston.com Tuesday that it was too early to comment on the case and declined to provide further details about the defense.  

During Monday’s hearing, a defense attorney for Mayle argued that the incident was “precipitated by a mental health crisis,” NBC10 Boston reported. 

Police spoke with Mayle while he was detained at Bridgewater State Hospital before his arraignment. According to court documents, Mayle told police he had “stopped taking his prescribed medications” a few days earlier and was “hearing voices.” 

Mayle also told police that he had recently driven to the Pentagon in Virginia “because people have been poisoning his food and medications.”

Police also reported Mayle would “ramble incoherently” and yell about the Department of Children and Families and Weymouth Police Department engaging in “psychological warfare against him,” per court documents. 

Another hearing is set for Oct. 23, records show.