The Montgomery father charged with shooting at another dad in the car line of an elementary school will continue to be held without bond while he undergoes mental health treatment at VA clinic, a judge ruled Monday.
Isaiah Johnson, 38, was charged with certain person forbidden to carry a pistol and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle after an altercation ended in gunfire at Blount Elementary School on Thursday, Montgomery police Sgt. Jarrett Williams said.
Friends of Johnson have said the 10-year military veteran suffered from PTSD. Johnson’s wife also died recently and his father is sickly, Kenyatte Hassell, a lifelong friend said.
Johnson allegedly pulled out a gun shortly before 7:30 a.m. in what Williams called a road rage incident where parents drop off their children at the school. He fired the gun damaging another man’s vehicle, according to court records.
After the shooting, Johnson ran inside the school and put the gun on the front office counter, Williams said. A school staff member picked it up and put it in the school safe before police arrived. The two fathers remained at the school until police arrived.
Both men were detained following the incident, but the second father was later released after it was discovered that he did not possess or fire a weapon during the incident, Williams said.
No one was injured in the fracas, officials said.
Prosecutors Friday filed a motion to increase his initial $30,000 bond to $100,000, but also requested that he be held without bond until Johnson can undergo a mental health examination.
District Judge Tiffany McCord on Friday filed a ruling agreeing to hold Johnson without bond, but declined to rule on the bond issue. The judge on Monday issued an order transferring Johnson to the VA clinic while remaining under the custody of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
“He will be transported for evaluation and treatment then back to discuss his bond,” McCord said.
Aylia McKee, the chief public defender, was appointed to represent Johnson until his financial status can be determined.
“We’ll continue to represent him until the judge makes a determination if he’s indigent or not,” McKee said.
During the hearing Monday, Johnson only spoke when asked direct questions by McCord and to ask if he could sit down during the 5-minute discussion. When asked if he understood the McCord’s ruling, he nodded in the affirmative and said “yes ma’am.”
About 40 family and friends filled the courtroom in support of Johnson. Once the judge left the bench and Johnson shuffled away in his chains and bright orange jumpsuit, they peppered McKee with questions regarding his stay at the VA.
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