Ward is accused of beating a Cary police officer, then leading Highway Patrol troopers on a high-speed chase through Cary and Raleigh in January. The chase ended when Ward crashed into a house in downtown Raleigh.
During a jailhouse interview with WRAL the day after he was captured, Ward said he felt trapped when a Cary officer tried to break up a domestic dispute with his family. He said his actions stemmed from desperation not malice.
In March, a judge ordered Ward to have a mental evaluation to see if he is competent to stand trial. He pleaded not guilty and will go to trial July 1.
If Ward is convicted on all six federal charges, they carry a total sentence of 87 years to life in prison. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Monday.
Also in March, the body of a Cary teenager, Amanda Simpson-Deane, was found in a well in Nash County. Simpson-Deane was first reported missing in September 2000.In May 2001, Cary police distributed a press release, saying Ward was the last person seen with Simpson-Deane.
No one has been charged with Simpson-Deane's death, but authorities said Ward may be linked to the incident.
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