Competency hearing is set

HEBER CITY (AP) — The Pleasant Grove man who allegedly took hostages at a medical clinic has been committed to a state hospital for a competency evaluation.

Royal K. Giles, 35, is charged in 4th District Court with first-degree felony aggravated kidnapping, second-degree felony aggravated assault and class B misdemeanor impersonation of an officer.

Police say Giles went to the Wasatch Medical Clinic on Tuesday to speak to a doctor who had treated his stepfather two years earlier, but became angry and afraid of a patient typing at a laptop computer.

When the patient was called by a nurse, Giles allegedly pulled a gun on him, ordered him to lie on the floor and falsely identified himself as a police officer.

Giles was convinced within minutes to surrender by Heber City Police Sgt. Perry Rose. There were no injuries.

It's not known how many people were inside the clinic when the incident started, but police said some inside escaped by crawling through windows. The clinic has at least six employees, including four physicians and two physician's assistants.

A competency hearing is set for March 2.