Hearing delayed for shooting suspect

AUSTINTOWN -- Township police had word Tuesday that a preliminary hearing scheduled today for the man accused of shooting one of their patrolmen is postponed.
Carlton Sims, 22, of Boardman, was to appear in county court in Austintown on charges of attempted murder, felonious assault and aggravated robbery in the May 8 attack on Patrolman Joe Wojciak. He was shot in the chest with a .22-caliber handgun as he sat in his cruiser around 7 a.m. in the parking lot of the Kmart on Mahoning Avenue. A bulletproof vest saved him from serious harm.
Police Chief Bob Gavalier said Tuesday that Sims' court-appointed attorney wants Sims to undergo a competency test, which is the reason for the postponement. He said he does not know when the test will occur.
Thomas E. Zena, Sims' attorney, could not be reached Tuesday. Wojciak was expected to be back to work today after taking a week off. He was to undergo counseling first, Gavalier said.
Others in the police department who were on duty when the shooting occurred also underwent counseling last week, he said.
Police are also waiting for the results of a trace on the gun used to shoot Wojciak. Police want to know who owned the gun since it left the manufacturer.
Police also have subpoenaed employees from St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, where Sims was taken after being struck with Wojciak's cruiser. They want to examine results of any blood work done on him there, Gavalier said.