Psychiatrist finds Kachkar “psychotic”

A psychiatrist who examined Richard Kachkar–the man charged with killing a Toronto police officer with a snow plow–has concluded he is either schizophrenic or has an unspecified psychotic disorder.

Kachkar has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Sergeant Ryan Russell. The judge said there is no doubt Kachkar was driving the stolen plow that killed the officer in January 2011, but that the issue now is his mental state.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Philip Klassen told the court today that he believes Kachkar didn’t know that what he was doing was wrong when he hit Russell. He also said Kachkar’s strange behaviour had worsened in the months before Russell’s death. Kachkar’s defence is urging the jury to find him not criminally responsible for the death.