Mark Pavelich, a member of the "Miracle on Ice" gold medal winning hockey team, has had his court case on assault charges suspended after being determined to be incompetent to stand trial. Pavelich, who spent parts of seven seasons the NHL, had been charged with allegedly assaulting and seriously injuring his neighbour. Pavelich, 61, was arrested at his home in Lutsen, Minnesota on August 20th after he allegedly struck and beat his neighbor with a metal pole. Pavelich accused the man of "spiking his beer" after they had returned home from a fishing trip together, according to the original criminal complaint filed by the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
According to the official ruling by the judge, Pavelich "lacks the ability to rationally consult with counsel, is incapable of understanding the proceedings, and is incapable of participating in the defense due to mental illness or deficiency." The court order also stated Pavelich is "a significant risk to harm others," and must remain in custody until placed in supervised psychiatric care. Neither the prosecution nor the defense objected to the ruling.
Pavelich was a forward on the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team, which famously defeated the dominant Soviet Union and went on to win the gold medal, which was subsequently dubbed the "Miracle on Ice." Following that, Pavelich spent seven seasons in the NHL, mostly with the New Yorks Rangers, although he also had short stints with the Minnesota North Stars and the San Jose Sharks. In total, he played 355 NHL games, scoring 137 goals and 329 points.
Pavelich was charged with four felony counts stemming from the August incident: second- and third-degree assault, possession of a short-barreled shotgun and possession of a firearm with a missing or altered serial number. While dismissing the charges, the judge initiated civil commitment proceedings, whereby an individual who is deemed by a qualified agent to have symptoms of severe mental disorder is ordered by a court into treatment in a psychiatric hospital (inpatient) or in the community (outpatient).
In 2012, Pavelich's wife, Kara, died following a second-story fall at the couple's home in Lutsen.
Source: Duluth News Tribune
