DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A Des Moines woman accused of hate crimes after she allegedly intentionally hit two children with her vehicle because of their race has been ruled competent to stand trial.
Court documents indicate a psychiatric evaluation found Nicole Poole competent, KCRG reported.
Poole was charged with attempted murder and assault in violation of individual rights, and other offenses after she allegedly drove onto a sidewalk and hit a 14-year-old Hispanic girl near a suburban Des Moines school on Dec. 9. She also is accused of driving over a curb and hitting a 12-year-old black boy the same day. Both children survived.
Poole was arrested the same day after she used racial epithets and threw items at gas station in West Des Moines.
A judge in February found Poole incompetent for trial and ordered her to receive treatment.
A new hearing is scheduled for May 28.
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