PASCO, Wash. — Judge David L. Petersen granted another evaluation order for Joshua Davis, the 35-year-old man accused of murdering Pasco school bus driver Richard Lenhart in September 2021, at a motion hearing on October 25.
Davis’ attorney originally ordered an inpatient evaluation of his competency in October 2021, which was completed at the DSHS Eastern State Hospital, according to court documents. Davis was also evaluated by an independent expert, which could be used to try and refute the DSHS evaluation during hearings. This independent expert’s evaluation took months, delaying the hearings and subsequently, the murder trial.
Review hearings were scheduled throughout 2022, most calling for a continuation of the evaluation. At the most recent hearing on October 25, Judge Petersen granted a new evaluation order since the doctor who conducted the previous evaluation no longer works for the state hospital, according to the order. The new order also includes an additional evaluation of sanity/diminished capacity, on top of competency.
The new evaluation, like the last, will be inpatient through the Eastern State Hospital within seven days of the order. It can last up to 15 days. The next hearing regarding Davis’ competency is scheduled for January 10, 2023.