Highway Shooter Pleads Not Guilty Due to Mental Disease

BUFFALO GROVE, IL - A Wisconsin man accused of opening fire on a busy interstate and shooting and killing a suburban mother headed home from a trip with her family has pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Zach Hays is charged in Milwaukee County with reckless homicide and recklessly endangering safety for the May 1 shooting death of the Buffalo Grove mom, Tracy Czaczkowski, and also for the shooting death earlier that day of his neighbor, Gabriel Sanchez, according to the Associated Press.

Hays, 20, and his two brothers were in a car in I-90/94 when Hays began firing at other motorists near Lake Delton, police said.

He struck the car driven by Greg Czazkowski of Buffalo Grove three times, with one bullet striking 44-year-old Tracy Czazkowski in the neck. She was airlifted to a local hospital and remained on life support but later died. Her two children were also in the car when she was shot.

Deputies later caught up with Hays and shot him on the highway because he refused to drop his gun. Hays had been on the run ever since the early morning hours on May 1 when he's believed to have shot and killed a 42-year-old West Allis man.

His brother, Jeremy Hays, 30, told investigators Zachary was "extremely paranoid" after smoking marijuana and was carrying a handgun and a long-barreled .45 caliber revolver, according to charging documents. He also threatened to kill Jeremy and his other brother, a mentally challenged 34-year-old who has not been charged, according to authorities.

A charge of first-degree intentional homicide initially brought against Hays was reduced to reckless homicide in the highway shooting earlier this year, according to WISN 12 News. At the time, prosecutors said Hays’ mental state was the reason behind downgrading the most serious charge.

>>> More on Patch: Accused Highway Shooter Who Took Mom's Life Charged