Day before he was shot, troubled veteran ordered to seek help

Day before he was shot, troubled veteran ordered to seek help
By Andie Hannon, Staff Writer
Published on Monday, Nov 21, 2011

FARMINGTON — For those who knew him best and loved him most balancing their memories of the 18-year-old Justin Crowley-Smilek who went off to fight for his country with the 28-year-old knife-wielding man who was shot and killed Saturday by a Farmington police officer is a struggle.

Watching his beloved son spiral into delusions and mental illness likely triggered by post-traumatic stress disorder and severe combat stress was heartbreaking, his father, Michael Smilek, said.

But even more troubling as a parent was the fact that by law there was nothing he could do to force his son to seek help following his return from Afghanistan six years ago.

"He was very, very troubled when he came back from overseas," Smilek said. "My wife and I spent the better part of a year trying to get him the services he needed."

Crowley-Smilek was shot to death Saturday morning by Farmington police officer Ryan Rosie after he pulled a knife and menaced Rosie, officials said.

Unfortunately, reaching out for psychological help was the one and only choice the honorably discharged Army Ranger needed to make on his own. Smilek and others who work closely with local veterans all agree — unless an individual is a threat to themselves or someone else — forcing them to seek psychiatric help is near impossible.

Charlie Bennett, district adjutant for the American Legion, said the help is there for any veteran who wants it, but "wanting helping" is key. As a Vietnam War veteran who suffered from PTSD, Bennett said it took him several years to finally seek help from the Veterans Administration Clinic at Togus.
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Afghanistan Vet Army Ranger with PTSD killed by police


Parents of dead veteran talk of scars
By Doug Harlow dharlow@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

Lorna and Michael Smilek on Sunday hold a 2006 photograph of Michael’s son, Justin Crowley-Smilek, who was shot and killed Saturday after he confronted Farmington police. Michael Smilek said his son served as a U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan and had returned home with severe combat stress.

FARMINGTON -- The father of a man shot and killed by a police officer Saturday morning said Sunday his son had been a U.S. Army Ranger who served in Afghanistan and had come home with severe combat stress.

Michael Smilek said his son, Justin Crowley-Smilek, 28, had been to court on criminal charges the day before the shooting and a judge ordered that he undergo a full psychological evaluation. He said his son suffered from bouts of alcohol and drug use and had frequent problems with police as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder.

"On Thursday he started to become very delusional; he became manic," Michael Smilek, 55, said Sunday. "Justin was 100 percent post-traumatic stress and was diagnosed as being bipolar because of what he saw in Afghanistan. I was with him in court on Friday."
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