After representing himself in almost a half-dozen court hearings, a 23-year-old Springfield man requested last month that an attorney be appointed in his Jefferson County case.

That attorney has now raised a bona fide doubt as to the defendants mental fitness.

Shonn Bacon was arrested in January and charged with being an armed habitual criminal and aggravated vehicular hijacking with a weapon. Both charges are Class X felonies punishable by between 6 and 30 years each if convicted.

Bacon is accused of entering an occupied vehicle in the Arby’s parking lot in Mt. Vernon still armed with a handgun having left an armed altercation inside Applebee’s moments earlier.

Mt. Vernon police, who were enroute for the Applebee’s call entered a brief foot pursuit with Bacon who exited the hijacked vehicle upon their arrival.

After initially refusing to drop his weapon, Bacon eventually complied but resisted arrest before being taken into custody.

It was determined at that time that he was on parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections stemming from a 2015 conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm in Sangamon County.

Bacon initially indicated he would hire a private attorney for the Jefferson County case but instead proceeded pro-se until asking for an attorney last month.

Defense attorney Aaron Hopkins was subsequently assigned to Bacon’s case and on Wednesday raised doubt as to his client’s mental fitness. The court then ordered an evaluation to be completed before the case moves forward.

The case is next scheduled for a July 12 status hearing on the fitness evaluation.