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Parking no longer free at Wilkes-Barre lot, but some drinks next door are

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Dallas’ Cory Metz named Times Leader Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A repeat offender whose mental status has long stymied prosecutors was again ruled mentally unfit to face his latest set of charges, according to a judge&#8217;s ruling Friday in Luzerne County Court.</p><p>Paul Woychio, 44, formerly of Nanticoke and Hanover Township and with a most recent address of Dupont, has been accused of selling cocaine to undercover cops, stealing on numerous occasions and yelling a racial slur at a black man, according to archived reports.</p><p>Court records dating back to 1989 show several dozen criminal cases have been filed against Woychio, who suffered permanent brain damage in a 1993 motorcycle wreck.</p><p>Many of the charges, ranging from summary offenses to felonies, have resulted in convictions. But each time, Woychio was declared mentally incompetent to face the charges in court.</p><p>His most recent brush with the law came in March 2015 after he <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/uncategorized/17459/dupont-man-previously-ruled-incompetent-faces-new-robbery-charge" target="_blank">allegedly held a knife to a woman,</a> Ann Dale, and stole $60 dollars from her purse. The case, including others pending against Woychio, was stayed in May pending a mental re-examination, according to court records.</p><p>In a ruling issued Friday, Luzerne County Judge Joseph Sklarosky Jr. ruled Woychio incompetent to proceed and stayed the proceedings until further order by the court.</p><p>The judge ordered a competency re-evaluation in 12 months.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Judge: Habitual offender again deemed incompetent to stand trial