Accused Kalamazoo Uber Killer Plans Insanity Defense

KALAMAZOO, MI – Jason Dalton, the Uber driver accused okilling six people in random shootings between fares on Feb. 20, plans an insanity defense, Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting told reporters Tuesday.

Getting said he had been told of the insanity defense by Dalton's attorney, Eusebio Solis, according to media reports, including the Battle Creek Enquirer. He spoke to reporters after a pretrial conference hearing on Monday.

Dalton, 45, of Kalamazoo, a former insurance adjuster with a clean criminal record, has been charged six counts of open murder, two counts of assault to commit murder and eight felony weapons charges.

• NEWSLETTER: Top Michigan Headlines from Patch Editor Beth Dalbey

According to records released to reporters through the Freedom of Information Act, Dalton believed he was being controlled by the Uber ride-sharing app on his iPhone. He told investigators that a horned cow head, which he said resembled a devil’s head, took over his body.

Last month as a victim testified about the night of the shootings, Dalton began babbling incoherently and was dragged out of a courtroom.

“Aviator cars. No! They gave bags, black bags they are called ... that people drive around and they look ... and that's when you tell people you need to get to temple. Yeah, you need to get to temple, you need to get going because it's called intimidator bags,”  he reportedly said.

After Solis files notice of the insanity defense, Kalamazoo Circuit Court judge Alexander Lipsey is expected to order an examination at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry, which previously determined Dalton s competent to stand trial. The new evaluation will assess his sanity at the time of the shootings.

Depending on the outcome of that evaluation, attorneys on either side may ask for an independent evaluation, Getting said.

The prosecutor said he isn’t surprised by the insanity defense.

"This is where I expected the case to go from the very beginning," he said. 

A status conference in the case is scheduled for Aug. 15.