A judge on Thursday ordered a Mississippi man who authorities say crashed his car through the front gate of Jennifer Aniston's home to go through mental-health court to determine whether he's competent to face felony stalking and vandalism charges. Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, appeared shirtless and wrapped in a blanket when he appeared behind glass in a custody area of a Los Angeles courtroom and didn't speak during the proceedings, as his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, reports the AP.
Authorities say that on Monday, Carwyle slammed his PT Cruiser into the gate outside Aniston's home in Bel Air, California, causing ample damage. Prosecutors allege that Carwyle has harassed Aniston for more than two years, via a slew of emails, voicemails, and social media messages. Per a release from the LA County District Attorney's Office, he was hit with felony stalking and vandalism charges, which could put him behind bars for up to three years.
CBS News notes that Carwyle's case was suspended until a mental health court assesses his status. He's now in custody on $150,000 bail, with his next court date set for May 22. Longtime friend Marty Merritt tells the New York Times that things seemed to deteriorate mentally for Carwyle sometime after the pandemic waned, leading to Carwyle proclaiming that he wanted to marry the 56-year-old Friends actor. The Times notes that's also around the time Carwyle "started sending [Merritt] outrageous messages—including claims of being God and the Antichrist—and posting 'creepy' things online." "I am so sorry, Ms. Aniston, that this happened to you," Merritt said in a video accompanying a Facebook post, in which he said drugs helped hasten his friend's decline. (More Jennifer Aniston stories.)