Alliant 'bomber' found not guilty due to insanity
CLINTON - A Clinton County District Court judge has ruled that a man accused of throwing a homemade bombing device into a Clinton energy facility yard earlier this year is not guilty by reason of insanity.
District Court Judge David Sivright, in a ruling issued Friday, also ordered Oliver Guertin be immediately committed to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Oakdale for a complete psychiatric evaluation, which will be followed by another hearing.
Guertin was charged April 23 with second-degree arson and reckless use of fire after he threw a bag containing combustible or incendiary material over a fence onto Alliant Energy property. The bag landed near equipment in an electrical power substation. Guertin, according to court documents, intended to destroy or damage the property.
Court documents state the incident took place around 8 p.m. April 23 as police officer William Greenwalt was on routine patrol. He observed Guertin standing next to a security fence on Alliant Energy property. Greenwalt's attention was drawn because Guertin was standing "unusually close" to the fence, located between 12 and 15 feet from the sidewalk. The fence enclosed an electrical power substation maintained by Alliant Energy. Greenwalt saw Guertin throw a small plastic bag over the fence, with the flight of the bag suggesting that its contents were heavy. The court documents state Greenwalt stopped Guertin to investigate, and concluded from his contact that Guertin was "either under the influence of a controlled substance or was mentally ill."
Guertin was placed in handcuffs and searched, and police found a lighter and other items in his possession. The bag Guertin threw over the fence landed near an electrical transformer. When asked what was in the bag, Guertin replied "chemicals." He was read Miranda warnings, but stated he did not understand them. Guertin then admitted that the package contained items used to make a bomb. An examination of the package at the scene led officers to believe it to be a Molotov cocktail device.
Police officers searched Guertin's residence and found empty cologne bottles in a bathroom wastebasket and other items consistent with the contents of the bag. Police interviewed Guertin's wife, Catherine Guertin. Both she and Guertin have a history of mental illness; they met at a mental health institute in Colorado. Catherine asserted that as a teenager, she met and befriended a group of Satan worshippers. She continues to follow their beliefs, and said she and Guertin talk about "killing people and world destruction" all the time. The two of them planned the "bombing of Alliant" and prepared the device in question using products in their home thought to be flammable. They also planned future bombings of the courthouse, the police department and finally the White House "to kill the President."
Court documents state that, prior to moving to Iowa, Oliver Guertin was a patient at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan. He was admitted there in May 2003 for the ninth time. His problems began at an early age. At the age of 5 or 6, he cut off the fingers of a classmate, tried to stab a classmate with a pencil, assaulted a student with a heavy sack lunch, ate glue, paper and crayons and, along with his brother, was observed eating from neighborhood garbage cans. Records indicate he was physically and sexually abused by his father, as well as neglected by both parents. The parental rights of both biological parents were ultimately terminated.
Court documents state that since the age of 6, Guertin has resided primarily in institutional settings, including group homes, treatment centers and juvenile correction facilities. Guertin was officially discharged from the Fort Logan facility in November 2003. The discharge summary noted that Guertin had been treated with medication and other services, and had responded well before his discharge. The summary concluded that, without medication, Guertin "is at risk for falling into his usual pattern of anger and frustration, self-destructive behavior and substance abuse."
He was evaluated at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center to determine his competency to stand trial and told examiners "I did what I did because I hate the government." Guertin was found to be significantly delusional, but was considered competent to participate in further court proceedings. While incarcerated in the Clinton County Jail, Guertin has injured himself by banging his head against a wall and scratching his wrist until it bled, and has assaulted another inmate.
Clinton County Attorney Mike Wolf said Guertin waived his right to a jury trial in writing, and the court then considered the facts in the case. Guertin entered pleas of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Sivright found prosecutors have shown beyond a reasonable doubt that Guertin committed the crime of second-degree arson and reckless use of fire but that Guertin was insane at the time he committed the crimes.
Tell me they never had a kid....please tell me they never had a kid......:o(
Ya just can't make this stuff up ........:o)
Awwwww... that's the sweetest DU love story I've ever seen.
Jeez...and they let these people out? What kind of couple meets in the loony bin? That's as bad as meeting your wife on death row.
Court documents state that, prior to moving to Iowa, Oliver Guertin was a patient at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan. He was admitted there in May 2003 for the ninth time. His problems began at an early age. At the age of 5 or 6, he cut off the fingers of a classmate, tried to stab a classmate with a pencil, assaulted a student with a heavy sack lunch, ate glue, paper and crayons and, along with his brother, was observed eating from neighborhood garbage cans. Records indicate he was physically and sexually abused by his father, as well as neglected by both parents. The parental rights of both biological parents were ultimately terminated.
Wow...
Do you remember the husband? he was listed in the T.M.
Good find!