Elderly man found incompetent
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Published: November 25, 2009
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION (AP) — A judge says an elderly West Windsor man is incompetent and won't go on trial on charges he fired a barrage of rifle shots at his neighbor after going off his medications.
Prosecutors and the defense attorney for 77-year-old Peter Burch agreed during a Monday hearing with the recommendation of a state mental health expert.
Burch had been charged with aggravated assault.
The Valley News of Lebanon, N.H., says Burch will remain for now at the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury.
Court records say Burch suffers from bipolar disorder and stopped taking his medication last summer.
Within days he had spent $70,000 and began confronting neighbors.
On Aug. 17 he started shooting at a neighbor who is also a state game warden.
There were no injuries.
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