Competency Doubts Derail Sentencing of San Bruno Man Convicted in Deadly Crash

By Bay City News Service:

A San Bruno man convicted of second degree murder in a 2012 car-crash had doubts raised as to his competency Friday during a sentencing hearing attended by roughly 30 of the victims’ family members.

On the afternoon of July 28, 2012, Corsiglia had a seizure behind the wheel, crashing into a car stopped at a red light. He was traveling at 40 to 50 mph, and two men in the stopped car were killed instantly. Two other vehicles were also involved in the collision, resulting in serious injuries to victims in both cars, according to prosecutors.

Corsiglia was involved in at least seven similar car crashes between 2002 and 2011 due to a seizure disorder, prosecutors said.

Defense attorney John Halley said his client Rodney Edward Corsiglia suffers from dementia and a childhood brain injury, is severely disabled, and did not understand the risk of getting behind the wheel - despite his extensive history of wrecks.

“People with dementia often have poor insight, poor judgment, and they don’t recognize their own disabilities,” Halley said. “They make unrealistic plans and underestimate the risk of dangerous activities like driving.”

“(Corsiglia) can do things that are totally crazy, like wreck a car, rent another, and wreck that,” Halley said. “That’s the story of this case.”

The questions as to Corsiglia’s competency effectively derailed Friday’s sentencing, which cannot proceed until and unless Corsiglia is found competent to assist Halley in his own defense.

“If in fact he’s found incompetent and he’s not restored, he can be held in various statuses indefinitely,” Halley said. “So this is not a get out of jail free card.”

When questioned as to why doubts about Corsiglia’s competency were not raised during the trial, Halley said that a different attorney represented his client at that time.

San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said the court had no alternative but to suspend criminal proceedings and appoint two doctors to evaluate Corsiglia’s competency.

“Those 30 family members of the victims came in for closure and they walked away with frustrations,” Wagstaffe said. “It’s sad.”

“It’s been going on and on for those family members, and we in the District Attorney’s office feel great sympathy for them,” Wagstaffe said.

If the court appointed doctors determine that Corsiglia is not competent, Wagstaffe said he would be sent to a state hospital. If and when his competency is restored, criminal proceedings may resume.

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