NC State student accused of shooting into cars on I-40 found incapable to proceed
An N.C. State student accused of shooting into multiple cars on I-40 last fall was deemed incapable of proceeding with a trial Monday.
Andrew Thomas Graney, 24, faces more than a dozen charges in the slew of shootings over two days, in which at least eight vehicles and four homes were damaged and a woman was injured. Graney was arrested Nov. 7, three days after the first shooting was reported on I-40 eastbound between Chapel Hill Road and Cary Towne Boulevard, The News & Observer previously reported.
Superior Court Judge Douglas Green ordered Graney committed to Central Regional Hospital on Monday after a June 19 evaluation, according to court documents.
A forensic psychiatrist at the hospital noted in a report that Graney could be found competent to stand trial after receiving proper medical treatment.
A district court judge had initially ruled in February that Graney should undergo a forensic psychiatry evaluation, court records show.
History of mental health struggles
Court documents from the June evaluation said Graney suffered from “inadequately treated schizophrenia.” He didn’t receive mental health treatment as a child, despite reported struggles including self-injury.
Graney graduated from high school in 2019 and enrolled at N.C. State, where he first received treatment for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and ADHD, according to the report. He was hospitalized during his senior year after harming himself, the report says.
He dropped out in the second semester of his senior year. Over the next year, Graney was hospitalized three times for self-injury and hallucinations. It’s unclear when he returned to N.C. State, but he was living off-campus and attending classes at the time of his arrest, according to the report.
Psychiatric evalutations after his arrest
Upon his arrest, Graney received multiple psychiatric evaluations at the Wake County jail. He was placed on suicide watch at the jail and kept in a “safety cell” but twice visited WakeMed’s emergency department.
Graney was sent to Central Prison’s safekeeping unit Nov. 23, where he has remained since, according to the report.
“Currently Mr. Graney’s symptoms of severe mental illness interfere with his ability to comprehend court proceedings and assist in his defense in a rational or reasonable manner,” the report states. ”
Graney will receive treatment at Central Regional Hospital, according to Green’s order of commitment. He may be deemed capable of proceeding with a trial in the future, though it’s unclear how long that could take.
The Wake County District Attorney’s Office has reportedly offered Graney a plea bargain, according to the forensic psychiatrist’s report, which doesn’t specify what the terms of the arrangement would be.
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 10:22 AM.
