A man accused of shooting his father then barricading himself in the family’s home on Bankens Road north of Sulphur was ruled mentally unfit to stand trial.

Judge Ron Ware ruled Chad Dean Peshoff, 42, mentally incompetent Wednesday in state district court at the recommendation of Dr. Patrick Hayes, a psychiatrist.

Peshoff is accused of shooting his father on Jan. 26. A 4 1/2-hour standoff ended when police threw flash-bang grenades and tear-gas into the home, authorities said.

Peshoff is charged with attempted second-degree murder.

Hayes said Peshoff is being “undermanaged” and that with medication and proper treatment he could be “reconstituted.” Ware ordered Peshoff sent to a hospital in East Feliciana Parish “expeditiously.”

Peshoff has been hospitalized at a mental facility twice and has a history of bipolar disorder and psychosis, Hayes said. He said that because Peshoff’s previous hospital stays were short, it is possible that Peshoff’s mental health could be rehabilitated to a point he could stand trial within “months.”

Hayes said that when he examined Peshoff on Aug. 2, Peshoff understood the court proceedings at a factual level, but not at a functional level. Hayes said Peshoff showed symptoms of schizophrenia.

Because timeframes were unknown for when Peshoff would be sent to East Feliciana and when a report from there would be available, Peshoff’s next court date was not set.

Peshoff is being held in the Calcasieu Correctional Center on $750,000 bond.

A man accused of shooting his father then barricading himself in the family’s home on Bankens Road north of Sulphur in January was ruled mentally unfit to stand trial. Judge Ron Ware ruled Chad Dean Peshoff

Michelle Higginbotham

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