Crime & Safety

Woodside Veteran with PTSD Threatens to Set Family Member on Fire

The Sheriff's Office will soon appoint doctors to evaluate whether he is mentally fit to stand trial for attacking a relative with a shovel.

 

Less than two months ago, Patch reported when an "armed and dangerous man" was on the loose in Woodside.

The man was arrested barely two hours later by deputies of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office after he attacked a family member with a shovel.

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Tuesday, Patch was able to learn more details about the case from the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Milo McIntosh Imrie, 23, is a veteran of the U.S. military who is believed to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Find out what's happening in Redwood City-Woodsidewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Imrie reportedly showed up at a cousin's house in Woodside on Dec. 12 with a container of gasoline. Imrie reportedly told his cousin that he intended the kill the two of them by dousing them both with the gasoline and setting them on fire, or possibly by using a knife.

The cousin wrestled the gas can away from Imrie, getting gasoline on his hands in the process. He went into the kitchen to watch his hands, and realized there was a butcher's block of knives in plain sight in the kitchen, so he took the knives and went outside and threw them onto the roof. 

However, when his back was turned, Imrie grabbed a shovel and struck him on the back with it, injuring him. The victim then fled to a neighbor's home and asked the neighbor to call 9-1-1.

Imrie also fled. After the alert was issued by the Sheriff's Office, Imrie was found not long after hiding out at the nearby Menlo Country Club.

Imrie resisted arrest when the deputies found him - the DA's Office said he grabbed at one of the deputies' guns and tried to remove it, but the deputies were able to subdue him by tasing him and take him into custody.

The next day, while Imrie was being transported by deputies, he attempted to escape by jumping out of the patrol car when the door was open and running, but deputies were able to capture him once again.

The DA's Office said Imrie appeared in court last Friday, Feb. 1 for a preliminary hearing, but the defense attorney expressed doubt over his competency to stand trial. Therefore, Imrie was scheduled to appear in court again Tuesday morning for the appointment of two doctors to evaluate his mental status.

Imrie is currently in custody on $25,000 bail.

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