Hearing for man accused of stealing deputy's cruiser

OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – An Ottawa County man accused of stealing a deputy's patrol car faced a judge for the first time Monday afternoon.

26-year-old James Zalsman is facing nine criminal charges including auto theft and assault on an officer.

Deputies say that on Friday night, during a foot chase in Robinson Township, Zalsman stole a deputy's cruiser and led them on a chase. Zalsman was finally caught, but not before he'd rammed into several other squad cars and injured a deputy.

Zalsman was arraigned in Ottawa County Court on Monday.

Zalsman is currently being lodged in the Ottawa County Jail, and there are some serious questions being raised about his mental stability. Those questions come after a bizarre court hearing that left an experienced judge speechless at times.

Monday's hearing started as a typical court arraignment, with yes and no answers coming from the accused as his charges were read off. Then, the judge asked him if he wanted to waive the next hearing in the process.

"Can I tell you what my wish is," said Zalsman. "My wish is I'll end up back at the hospital, in front of you, Cathy, and Megan, the list is on the table."

The statement didn't quite make sense to Judge Richard Kloote, and the random thoughts continued to emerge.

In reference to taking the deputy's cruiser, Zalsman said. "I believe I was going to have a kid."

Later Zalsman said he wanted to go to West Olive Hospital, meaning the jail in Ottawa County.

Nobody in the courtroom was certain whether Zalsman was acting as he was on purpose, but the people who knew the man well weighed in on it after the hearing.

"I think he is kind of playing," said Rodney Lyttle, Zalsman's friend, "maybe getting a lesser sentence, maybe something wrong with him. I think he's all there, tell you the truth, I think he's made a mistake and now he's going to have to pay for it."

David Cook had allowed Zalsman to live at his house in Robinson Township, where the incident started on Friday. Cook had allowed the suspect to live in his house rent-free for more than a month with his girlfriend. Cook says Zalsman needs more help than what they can give him in a jail cell.

"I don't think there's any hope for him," said Cook, "unless they get some good medication for him. He's bad to begin with, but he was just deteriorating and getting worse."