Man speaks of 'hell-raising' taxi ride just hours before Uber driver 'killed six in Kalamazoo gun rampage'

Matt Mellen was so terrified by Jason Dalton's driving that he jumped out the taxi.

Matt Mellen claimed he was a passenger in Jason Dalton's car (main image) just a few hours before the Uber driver (inset) allegedly killed six people

A MAN has described his ‘hell-raising’ taxi ride with Jason Dalton shortly before the Uber driver is alleged to have killed six in a gun massacre. Matt Mellen claimed he was a passenger in Dalton’s car just a few hours before he opened fire in Kalamazoo, USA.

Tyler Smith, 18, and his father Richard, 53, (both centre) were killed at a car showroom. 10 to 15 minutes later Dalton is believed to have struck again, killing four women named including Mary Jo Nye, 60 (left) and Barbara Hawthorne, 68 (right)

 He said the driver sped across lawns and ploughed through central reservations, leaving him so terrified that he jumped out the car and called the police.

Bizarrely Dalton is believed to have stopped his Uber taxi to pick up fares between murders. Police currently do not have a motive for the attacks and believe the victims are likely to have been chosen at random

After calling the police, Mr Mellen’s fiance posted a photo of Dalton on Facebook, warning others about his erratic driving. Just a few hours later Dalton allegedly began his gun rampage by shooting a woman in front of her three children.


Although the first victim is expected to survive, 18-year-old Tyler Smith and his father Richard, 53, were killed at a car showroom four hours later. Ten to 15 minutes later Dalton is believed to have struck again, killing four women named locally as Mary Lou Nye, 62, Mary Jo Nye, 60, Barbara Hawthorne, 68, and Dorothy Brown, 74.

Bizarrely Dalton is believed to have stopped his Uber taxi to pick up fares between murders.
Police currently do not have a motive for the attacks and believe the victims are likely to have been chosen at random.