20/20 December 22 2023: “The Deadly Ride”
Jason Dalton, a former Uber driver, terrorized the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, for eight horrific hours on Feb. 20, 2016, killing six people and seriously injuring two others. “20/20” presents a two-hour episode on his crime spree and puzzling explanation to police, featuring interviews with surviving victims, relatives of victims, law enforcement and others who crossed paths with him on that tragic day. ABC News chief national correspondent Matt Gutman sits down for emotional interviews with Dalton’s two surviving victims: Abbie Kopf, who miraculously survived after she was shot in the head at age 14 and her heart stopped, and Tiana Carruthers, a young mother shot in her condominium complex while shielding children from the gunfire. Both Abbie and Tiana open up about their encounters with Dalton, their injuries and how life has progressed.
The program features police dashboard camera footage, surveillance videos, 911 calls from witnesses and interviews with Vicki and Gene Kopf, Abbie’s parents, who describe the emotional moment they were saying goodbye to Abbie after her heart stopped, only to be shocked when it started to beat again; Lt. Chuck Christensen of the Michigan State Police; Sgt. Kyle Gorham, Detectives Bill Moorian and Cory Ghiringhelli, who interrogated Dalton after he was arrested; Michigan State trooper Cody Donnay, officer Scott Brooks, Sgt. Scott Miller and former Sgt. Brian Boyer, from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, who responded to the shootings; Matt Mellen, a passenger who escaped a terrifying car ride with Dalton the day of the shootings; Jeff Getting and Jeff Williams, prosecutors on the case; Emily and Laurie Smith, relatives of victims Richard and Tyler Smith; Nate, Laura and Dave Hawthorne, relatives of victim Barbara Hawthorne; Chris Nye, husband of victim Mary Lou Nye and brother of victim Mary Jo Nye; Rob Reynolds, son of victim Dorothy “Judy” Brown; and Juliet Dragos, WZZM13 news anchor who covered the story. “20/20” airs on Friday, Dec. 22 (9:01-11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 2/22/19)
