FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A jury convicted Daniel Navarro Wednesday of homicide with a hate crime enhancer for intentionally crashing into a motorcyclist — but the jury must still decide if he will be held responsible for his actions due to mental disease.
Navarro was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide for the July 2020 crash which killed Phillip Thiessen. The hate crime enhancer was added due to Navarro’s comments that he picked the victim based on race. Prosecutors say Navarro told police he was the target of racism because he is Mexican.
However, the case isn’t over because Navarro also pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. The same jury now must decide if Navarro understood his actions and could discern right from wrong.
If the jury finds he is mentally responsible for actions, Navarro faces a life prison term, with a judge deciding if he would ever be eligible for parole. If the jury finds he is not mentally culpable, Navarro would be committed to a secure mental health facility.
That phase of the trial is expected to continue Thursday, according to the district attorney’s office.
