A Canadian man accused of nearly stabbing another man to death at a rest stop in Moorhead has been found to have a mental illness - effectively putting the criminal case on hold.
Harmit Bhangu, 32, has been diagnosed with schizophreniform disorder and found incompetent to stand trial on charges of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon for a Jan. 11 incident at the Interstate 94 rest stop east of Moorhead.
Bhangu is accused of stabbing a truck driver eight to 10 times. He told police God ordered him to do it, Clay County District Court documents state.
The victim, Dale Morigeau of Montana, survived the attack.
Bhangu underwent evaluations while being held in the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter, Minn., to determine whether he has the mental capacity to assist with his own defense and whether he was able to understand right and wrong at the time of the acts he is accused of committing.
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The evaluations found that Bhangu does not have the competency to assist in his own defense or comprehend the trial and he did not have an understanding of what he was doing at the time that he committed the offenses, Clay County Attorney Brian Melton said.
