Former L-Way Teacher Jailed on Threat Charge to Get Sanity Hearing

A Will County judge scheduled a fitness hearing for a former Lincoln-Way Central High School teacher charged with threatening school district officials.

Judge Edward Burmila set an April 29 date for arguments on whether jailed former teacher Ryan Gardner, 41, was legally sane when he allegedly made threatening statements.

Gardner, most recently a resident of downstate Danville, has been jailed since Jan. 16 on a felony charge of making a telephone threat.

Prior to his being processed at the Will County jail, Gardner was receiving psychiatric care at University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. He had checked himself into the hospital voluntarily.

Gardner was hit with the felony charge after he allegedly made a Dec. 6 telephone call to Lincoln-Way School District Deputy Superintendent Thomas Eddy. About a week after the call to Eddy, officials in the Danville area learned of Gardner threatening to "shoot and kill" officials from the Lincoln-Way School District, a law enforcement official said.

Authorities also reportedly learned Gardner was talking about trying to get his hands on a gun and that he told at least one person in the Danville area that he was given permission by a minister to kill someone.

A criminal complaint was secured against Gardner Dec. 18, but he was not placed under arrest until he was discharged from the hospital.

Gardner had been charged with threatening Lincoln-Way officials twice before his trouble in December. He was first arrested in 2004 and eventually pleaded guilty to telephone harassment. The plea got Gardner a 120-day jail sentence.

Gardner was again charged with telephone harassment in April 2007. The charges were later boosted to felony harassment by electronic communication, but Gardner was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

A psychicatric evaluation of Gardner will be ready and presented at the hearing on the 29th. Attorneys will argue whether to reduce Gardner's bond as well as if he is fit to stand trial.

During the Friday morning hearing, Judge Burmila granted a request from Gardner's attorney, Zachary Pollack, for Gardner to get a phone card so he can call his mother.

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