Iowa woman accused of racist attacks to undergo mental tests

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A judge has approved a competency evaluation of a woman accused of hate crimes in the Des Moines area, including intentionally running over a girl she believed was Mexican. 

Nicole Poole’s attorney told a judge Monday that he thinks Poole has a mental disorder and is incompetent to stand trial. The Des Moines Register reports that prosecutors didn’t fight the defense request for a competency evaluation.

Poole is accused of throwing items at a store clerk and directing racial epithets at him and customers and of intentionally hitting a 14-year-old Hispanic girl and a 12-year-old black boy with her vehicle. Both children survived.