Man Accused Of Axe-Wielding Joliet Home Invasion Can Stand Trial

Joliet IL

21 January, 2022

10:33 AM

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JOLIET, IL — A 38-year-old man from Washington state who police say broke into a woman's house on Joliet's west side last February, shattering her window with an axe, can now be tried criminally, Will County court documents show. On Jan. 5, a Will County judge granted Allen Gillaspie's request to proceed pro se — without the representation of a lawyer. At Thursday's court hearing, Timothy Specht of the Will County Public Defender's Office appeared as standby counsel. The judge also appointed a public defender investigator to assist Gillaspie as he prepares his own defense strategy. On Feb. 5, 2021, Joliet police responded to a home invasion around 11:10 a.m. in the 3500 block of Pandola Avenue. According to police, Gillaspie pulled into the victim's driveway and walked to the rear of the woman's home while carrying an axe. He approached her rear glass-sliding door and shattered the glass door with the axe and entered the home, according to police reports. The resident ran to a neighbor's house and called 911, but Gillaspie drove off before officers got to the house, police said. On Feb. 24, 2021, Joliet police issued a warrant for Gillaspie's arrest on charges of home invasion, residential burglary, criminal trespass to a residence, criminal property damage, possession of burglary tools and aggravated assault. Several days later, the Santa Barbara Police Department in California took Gillaspie into custody, and Gillaspie was returned to Will County on March 20, 2021. His bail remains set at $500,000. However, for much of last year, Gillaspie's prosecution remained on hold after a Will County judge determined he was not mentally fit to stand trial. On May 20, a judge issued an order citing "a bona fide doubt as to defendant's fitness" and stayed all proceedings pending a mental health evaluation. On Dec. 17, a judge ruled Gillaspie's mental fitness had been restored. He had been staying at the Elgin Mental Health Center undergoing evaluations, but now that his criminal case can move forward, Gillaspie is back in the Will County Jail. Related Joliet Patch coverage: Axe-Wielding Joliet Home Intruder Captured In California: Chief Axe-Wielding Home Intruder Still At Large Allen Gillaspie's most recent mugshot taken Dec. 1, 2021. Mugshot via the Will County Jail