PORT ANGELES — Arraignment of a 60-year-old Port Angeles man who said he had placed a bomb aboard the Victoria Express passenger ferry on Saturday was delayed until June 6, pending a mental health evaluation.
Steven Stan Hanseth was arrested on Saturday and is being held in the Clallam County jail on one count of making a threat to bomb or injure property.
Bail was set at $5,000.
He was scheduled to appear Thursday afternoon before Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brooke Taylor to enter a plea to the charge.
But public defender Loren Oakley told Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brooke Taylor that there was reason to doubt Hanseth’s competency and added that no plea should be entered until that was resolved.
“Absolutely,” Taylor said.
The judge said he had ordered a mental health evaluation.
“I don’t know if it’s occurred.” he said.
“I’m not sure what can be done today. He’s in no condition to enter a plea.”
Taylor had Hanseth brought into the courtroom.
“I’ll do my best to explain what we are trying to do,” he said.
After Hanseth entered the courtroom, Taylor asked Hanseth if anyone had visited him in his jail cell.
His response was rambling and incoherent.
Taylor said that since neither an attorney nor a mental health counselor had had an opportunity to speak with Hanseth, the arraignment would be delayed for a week.
Hanseth made an initial court appearance on Tuesday.
According to court documents, Victoria Express owner Jack Harmon called Port Angeles police at 7:45 p.m. Saturday after a man entered his business and stated that he had placed a bomb aboard the passenger ferry.
After he left the Victoria Express office in The Landing Mall, Harmon followed him to a bus stop in the 200 block of East First Street where he was arrested.
No bomb was found aboard the ferry.
Hanseth gave police at least four aliases, according to court documents.
