Teen accused of causing fiery fatal crash after ‘God told him to kill himself’ being sent back to mental facility until next court date

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Jack Jordan, the teen accused of causing a fiery car wreck that left one woman dead after “God told him to kill himself” is now being sent back to a mental health facility until his next court appearance.

Judge Bonnie Jackson ordered on Jan. 17 that Jordan be returned to Feliciana Forensic Facility until his next court date, which is scheduled for Feb. 20. The judge also ordered that a sanity commission be appointed to determine Jordan’s competency at the time of the wreck, which happened in July of 2019. Three doctors, Robert Blanche, John Thompson, and Jose Artecona, will form the committee and report their findings on or before the next court date.

Back in August of 2019, Jordan was found not competent to proceed with a trial.

“State and Defense stipulated as to the doctor’s reports and submitted the issue of competency to the judge," a representative for District Attorney Hillar Moore told WAFB.

At the time, Judge Jackson remanded Jordan to be restored to competency.

According to Louisiana State Police, the crash happened on Siegen Lane at Perkins Road just before 10 p.m. on Monday, July 22, 2019.

The crash claimed the life of Stephanie Payne, 51, of Greenwell Springs. Payne was a traveling grief counselor who used her daughter’s death to inspire others.

Read more about the life and work of Stephanie Payne here.

Police arrested Jordan and his bond was set at $502,000.

Police say Payne was stopped at the intersection when Jordan, driving a truck northbound on Siegen Lane, struck the rear of her vehicle at a high rate of speed.

The collision caused Payne’s vehicle to burst into flames. Payne suffered fatal injuries as a result.

Jordan allegedly told police he intentionally caused the crash. The arrest report says Jordan told investigators God instructed him to kill himself, so he accelerated his vehicle to purposefully hit another vehicle to end his life. Jordan went on to tell police the last time he looked at his speedometer, he was going 90 mph in a 45 mph zone.

Police say impairment is not suspected to be a factor, but toxicology samples were taken.

Jordan was taken to a local hospital for treatment, and was then taken to jail, where police say he attempted to escape. The report states Jordan managed to run about 100 yards before he was apprehended.

Jordan was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of second degree murder, reckless operation, and simple escape.

A spokesperson for LSP says they have no reason to believe this is a case of road rage and they do not believe the two drivers knew each other.

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