Routt County judge to revisit bond in Domin case as second competency evaluation proceeds

A final decision over a competency evaluation was prolonged Monday for a Steamboat Springs man facing charges in four different cases that include those linked to his arrest for allegedly setting fire to his neighbor’s car, followed by a standoff with police days later on New Year’s Eve.

Daniel Domin, 38, who appeared virtually from the Routt County jail, is being tried over charges linked to four different cases. He is currently being held in Routt County Jail on a combined $610,000 bond over the charges.

Domin’s first case relates to a Dec. 22 arrest after he was charged with felony arson for allegedly setting his neighbor’s car on fire.



A week later, after he paid a $25,000 bond, Domin was released from jail and subsequently violated a protection order when he contacted his neighbor.

Another case stems from a standoff with Steamboat Springs police on New Year’s Eve that ended with tactical officers using smoke munitions and a percussion grenade to storm his apartment.



A fourth case stems from allegations Domin violated the terms of his probation in connection to a plea deal linked to a stalking case settled in February 2023.

On Monday, Routt County Judge Erin Wilson ordered Domin to appear again later this month to issue a ruling on a review of his bond over a request issued by a state’s public defender, Abby Kurtz-Phelan, who is representing Domin in his cases.

Wilson granted another request from Domin’s defense attorney, saying she had authorized funding for Dr. Jackie Grimmett, a Colorado Springs based psychologist, to undertake a second competency evaluation for Domin.

At a court appearance in February, Wilson reported on an initial competency evaluation ordered by the court the month prior that said Domin was competent to face the charges against him. A second competency evaluation was subsequently ordered by Wilson at the request of Domin’s defense attorney.

Under Colorado law, court proceedings are suspended until the legal question of whether an individual is able to “function meaningfully and knowingly in a legal proceeding,” according to the Colorado Office of Behavioral Health.

Once the issue of competency is raised, the state’s Office of Behavioral Health conducts the evaluation before providing an opinion to the court.

If either the court or legal counsel for either the defense or prosecution disagree with the evaluator’s opinion, a second opinion is completed by an evaluator hired by the court who is external to the Colorado Department of Human Services.

Grimmett said Monday afternoon she would not comment on the matter for at least two weeks. A request sent to the state’s public defenders’ office was not immediately returned.

Reached Monday afternoon, Deputy District Attorney Joseph Bucci said state laws would allow the competency evaluation performed by Grimmett to be returned to the initial state evaluator when it is completed.

“Will it go on forever? I hope not, but they are entitled to the statute to a second evaluation,” Bucci said. “They are just following the procedure laid out in the statutes and it’s not uncommon when someone is in custody and has the public defender for the funding for things like this to be ordered by the courts.”

If Domin is found incompetent to stand trial, the court may order restoration treatment services in either an inpatient hospital, jail-based or community setting to receive restoration treatment services.

The goal of the treatment is to “restore individuals to competency in the least restrictive setting and in a timely manner,” according to the state’s behavioral health office.

Domin will appear again in court May 20.


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