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Shooting suspect loses insanity defense motion

A Parma man who reportedly took LSD and shot his parents while celebrating the Fourth of July at a Grandview Township vacation property will not be allowed to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

Andrew Denavich, 26, of 6630 State Road Apt. 306, appeared in Washington County Common Pleas Court Wednesday for a competency hearing in his case.

He was indicted on four second-degree felony counts of felonious assault, a second-degree felony count of improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation and one first-degree misdemeanor count of using a weapon while intoxicated.

Denavich’s attorney, Rolf Baumgartel, entered a written plea of not guilty by reason of insanity in the case on Aug. 13.

But a recently filed report filed by a forensic psychologist who evaluated Denavich determined that Denavich did not meet the legal definition of insanity when he committed the crime, said Washington County Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Rings.

Washington County Common Pleas Court Judge Randall Burnworth set a trial date for Sept. 30 but acknowledged that Baumgartel had already asked to be allowed to get a second opinion.

“You’ll need to file a motion for continuance if you’re going to get a second opinion,” said Burnworth.

Denavich had been celebrating the holiday at a camping property owned by his mother and stepfather, Phyllis and Dale Huntsman, who also live in northeast Ohio.

His brother James Denavich and friend Tory Moore were also celebrating at the property.

After the incident, Andrew told deputies he had taken an unknown drug obtained in Parma, began hallucinating and became angry at his family.

Andrew obtained a 12 gauge shotgun that had been used earlier for recreational shooting and fired three shots at his mother before hitting her in the abdomen. He also shot Dale in the arm, fracturing a bone, and fired in the direction of James and Tory who had sought shelter in the garage.

His mother was initially listed in critical condition after the incident, but improved in the weeks following. His stepfather was not critically injured.

Denavich remains incarcerated on a $100,000 bond.

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