FAIRFIELD, Calif. — The woman accused of hitting and killing Vacaville Police Officer Matthew Bowen with her car appeared in court for arraignment.
In a shocking turn of events inside the courtroom Monday, the judge ordered a doctor to determine if defendant Serena CJ Rodriguez of Auburn is competent to stand trial.
ABC10 spoke with the prosecutor on the case, Chief Deputy District Attorney Paul D. Sequeira, who told said it causes significant delays in moving the case forward.
Monday marked Rodriguez's second appearance in court since the crash that killed Officer Bowen while he was conducting a traffic stop on Leisure Town Road in Vacaville. She appeared to smile as she entered the courtroom for arraignment.
She pleaded not guilty, denying all enhancements and allegations. In court, she made a request for a substitution of her public defender. The judge cleared the courtroom to speak with her and ultimately denied the substitution.
He later suspended proceedings and ordered a doctor to determine if Rodriguez is competent to stand trial. Sequeira says the move is premature and he doesn't think there's enough evidence to show she's not competent.
As court wrapped up, Rodriguez could be heard yelling and cursing from a closed booth.
The topic will be revisited Aug. 19 after the doctor's assessment.
Dozens of police officers were inside the courtroom for the arraignment. The community is still reeling from Bowen's death.
"It really broke my heart to find out that he's married and had two young children. I can't even imagine what his family is going through right now," said Rick Mroz, owner of Pet Supplies Plus in the Vacaville Commons.
In the weeks since Bowen's death, businesses have rallied to support the officer’s family, including Pet Supplies Plus.
The business is holding a dog wash fundraiser Aug. 2-4 in his memory. Pet Supplies Plus will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on August 2-3 and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on August 4.
For Mroz, this line of duty death hits close to home.
"I started with the Fairfield Police Department a little bit over 18 years ago. I’ve basically been on patrol my entire career," he said. "It's just about maybe trying to alleviate one less issue for the family."
He says the dog washes are free and customers are asked to make a donation to the cause. All proceeds will go to Bowen’s family.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday in honor of Officer Bowen. The Vacaville Police Officers' Association Board sent the following statement to ABC10:
"On behalf of the Vacaville Police Officers' Association, we would like to thank the community for their continued support for our brother Officer Matt Bowen. Officer Bowen came to us from Concord Police Department and his compassion for the community coupled with his hard work, had a huge impact for the citizens of Vacaville. It is of no surprise that this community continues to support our association along with all professional personnel inside the department. During this tragic event, the community took it upon itself to arrange fundraisers, talk with community leaders looking for ways to help show support. Each passing wave, words of encouragement and hugs from strangers is seen and heard by our membership. We want to thank everyone for reaching out and continuing to support Officer Bowen's family with fundraising and prayers. This profession continues to shine in times of need because of the support we have."
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