The man accused of dropping his 5-year-old daughter to her death off the approach to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in 2015 has been ruled competent to stand trial.
- Judge rules John Jonchuck competent to stand trial
- Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, died Jan. 8, 2015 when she was dropped from the approach to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge by her father
- Previous stories on Phoebe Jonchuck
Pinellas County circuit judge Joseph Bulone confirmed the ruling Friday morning. A pre-trial hearing is set for March 27.
The judge's ruling comes weeks after a state mental hospital ruled 27-year-old John Jonchuck is competent to stand trial. Doctors have been treating Jonchuck to restore his competency to stand trial.
Jonchuck, 27, is accused of dropping his daughter Phoebe Jonchuck 62 feet to her death from the Dick Misener Bridge on Jan. 8, 2015 just after midnight.
He is facing charges of murder, aggravated fleeing and eluding and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle on a law enforcement officer.
A St. Petersburg police officer spotted John Jonchuck speeding by in his car early that morning onto the bridge, which is the southbound approach to the Sunshine Skyway, and then the officer said he witnessed Jonchuck drop Phoebe into the water.
Phoebe lived with her father in Tampa, and in the last day of her life, he made comments that frightened his lawyer so much she called authorities and frantically wondered aloud if she should have kept the girl at her office.
Since then, Jonchuck had been ruled incompetent and sent to a state hospital for treatment.
Jonchuck has had a long history of treatment for mental health issues, including schizophrenia, bipolar issues and an attention deficit disorder.
Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.