The driver who is accused of attempting to run over a Pacific Gas & Electric worker and then was struck by a hatchet-wielding hitchhiker pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity Thursday.
Jett McBride, 54, of Tacoma, Wash., is charged with the attempted murder of Rayshawn Neely, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of battery for ramming his car into PG&E workers on Feb. 1 near Marks and McKinley avenues.
McBride spoke only to give his plea during a brief hearing in front of Judge Brian Alvarez.
Two doctors will prepare mental evaluations of McBride.
After McBride rammed Neely and co-worker Kenneth Simon, Neely was pinned between McBride's car and his PG&E work truck.
Workers said McBride made no effort to veer away from them.
Witnesses told police that McBride then climbed out of the car, walked up to Neely and asked him about Jesus Christ.
McBride allegedly told Neely, "I am Jesus and I am here to take you home," Simon said during a hearing in February.
McBride, who weighs about 290 pounds and is 6 feet 4 inches tall, bent over Neely as a group of PG&E workers told him to get away. McBride placed a hand on Neely's head and another hand behind his leg. Neely was screaming for him to get away when a woman tried to stop McBride before he held her in a bear hug, Simon said.
McBride's passenger, Caleb "Kai" McGillivary, then grabbed a hatchet from his backpack and struck McBride over the head three times to subdue him. McBride rose up again and other PG&E workers managed to hold him for law enforcement.
McGillivary later gained fame when a television news broadcast of him describing how he "smashed" McBride with the hatchet went viral, and he was invited to appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Of late, he has lined up performances at several local nightclubs.
McBride's next court hearing is May 9. If convicted, he faces up to 17 years in prison.
