KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Testimony ended Thursday afternoon in the trial of the man who's charged with killing five bicyclists north of Kalamazoo two years ago.
Kalamazoo County prosecutors rested their case against Charles Pickett Jr. after jurors heard witnesses recount what happened before the June 7, 2016, crash. The defense said it had no witnesses to call, meaning Pickett won't testify.
An acquaintance of Pickett, Pamela Barletta, was among those who took the stand Thursday. She said Pickett had gone to a funeral for his cousin the morning of June 7 and was feeling depressed. Later, he wanted to go home with her, but she said no, causing him to get angry.
Barletta testified Pickett took "quite a few" pills before leaving about an hour before the crash.
"His whole palm was full," she said.
She said he told her, "I'd be better off dead."
She also said he had been complaining about his vehicle's brakes not working days before the crash.
Other witnesses testified they saw Pickett driving erratically between 30 and 15 minutes before the crash. Several people called 911 to report his dangerous driving.
"When I looked over at the driver of the truck, he was looking at me and smiling," witness Craig Butler said.
Some identified Pickett specifically and all identified his truck.
"I see the blue vehicle swerving back and forth, trying to pass, and it eventually passes the silver truck in the bike lane," witness Matthew McMillen said.
Top, left to right: Debbie Bradley and Melissa Fevig-Hughes. Bottom, left to right: Tony Nelson, Larry Paulik and Suzanne Sippel.
Five bicyclists were killed when Pickett drove his pickup truck into a group on Westnedge Avenue in Cooper Township: Debbie Bradley, Melissa Fevig-Hughes, Tony Nelson, Larry Paulik and Suzanne Sippel.
A forensic pathologist who performed autopsies on three of the five testified Thursday they sustained multiple injuries, the most serious of which was a laceration of the brain stem.
Emergency responders testified Wednesday Pickett was "out of it" after the crash, seeming to have trouble speaking and understanding what was happening. An expert said there were pain pills and muscle relaxers in his blood and a Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office sergeant testified about finding meth in his pickup truck.
On Thursday, a sheriff's office detective testified he interviewed Pickett after the crash and said Pickett had no recollection of it.
"(I) told (Pickett) five people were killed. He became white and his mouth opened for a few seconds," Detective Rich Mattison said.
Pickett is standing trial on five counts of second-degree murder, five counts of driving while intoxicated causing death and four counts of reckless driving causing impairment.
The defense hasn't denied that Pickett was driving the truck or that he hit the bicyclists. Its argument is that it wasn't murder.
Testimony lasted about two and a half days. Closing arguments in the Pickett trial are scheduled for Tuesday.
The court is not allowing the trial to be streamed live online, but 24 Hour News 8 reporters will be in the courtroom and will be tweeting updates.
—24 Hour News 8's Brady Gillum contributed to this report.