A judge found a Bowling Green man competent to stand trial Friday on kidnapping and numerous other felony charges.

Donald Kevin Ballentine, 39, 1055 Hammett Hill Road, appeared for a competency hearing in Warren Circuit Court. Ballentine is charged with kidnapping (adult), second-degree assault (domestic violence), first-degree robbery, four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, theft by unlawful taking of property valued at $500 or more but less than $10,000, resisting arrest and second-degree persistent felony offender.

Ballentine sat in the witness box Friday in Warren Circuit Judge John Grise’s courtroom and listened to testimony given over the phone by Dr. Robert Sivley Jr., a clinical psychologist at The Pennyroyal Center who evaluated Ballentine on Oct. 11.

During his brief testimony, Sivley said his evaluation led him to determine that Ballentine understood the nature of the charges against him and the possible punishment they carry and that Ballentine, who is represented by Diana Werkman of the Department of Public Advocacy, was capable of assisting in his own defense.

Sivley, responding to questioning from Werkman, also said that Ballentine would likely benefit from psychiatric treatment.

Grise ruled Ballentine competent to stand trial on the charges and set a pretrial conference for Dec. 5.

Ballentine was arrested June 17 outside his residence after a domestic dispute escalated into a standoff with police.

Deputies from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office responded to the house after receiving reports of a disturbance involving a knife around 6 p.m. June 17.

According to court records, a deputy observed Ballentine holding his ex-wife, Michelle Ballentine, hostage with a knife to her throat. Michelle Ballentine, 37, of Hermitage, Tenn., had been cut multiple times and stabbed in the inner thigh, a police report said.

Before law enforcement arrived at the scene, Donald Ballentine allegedly stole his ex-wife’s van after pulling Michelle Ballentine out of the driver’s seat. He then tried to run over her and her two children, court records said.

Donald Ballentine drove off in the van and was gone for 20 minutes before returning to the residence.

As deputies ordered Donald Ballentine to let Michelle Ballentine go, Donald allegedly warned deputies to stay back and threatened to kill his ex-wife.

During the confrontation, Donald Ballentine allegedly inflicted small puncture wounds and cuts to Michelle Ballentine’s chest and neck area before walking his ex-wife to the edge of the yard, forcing her to sit on the ground and hiding behind her.

Deputies were able to subdue Donald Ballentine with a stun gun and place him under arrest. Michelle Ballentine was treated at The Medical Center for her injuries.

Donald Ballentine is lodged in Warren County Regional Jail under a $50,000 bond.