Ann Arbor Man Accused In Grocery Store Poisonings Ruled Competent For Trial
ANN ARBOR (WWJ/AP) - After undergoing psychiatric treatment, an Ann Arbor man is headed to trial on charges that he sprayed poison on unpackaged food at three local supermarkets last year.
The FBI says 30-year-old Kyle Bessemer believed someone was trying to poison him — so he sprayed a mixture of water, hand sanitizer and mouse poison on produce and prepared food bars at Whole Foods, Meijer and Plum Market. The rodent killer contained Bromethalin, authorities said, which a neurotoxin.
Bessemer was identified and arrested after security camera photos from Whole Foods were released, and tips came in from the public.
Last July, a judge ruled that Bessemer wasn't competent to stand trial and he was sent to the state's Center for Forensic Psychiatry for treatment.
On Thursday, a circuit court in Washtenaw County ruled him competent and bound him over, with a pre-trial hearing set for March 8.
Bessemer remains held on a $250,000 cash bond.
He's facing two counts of poisoning — food/drink/medicine/water supply causing property damage, which is a 20-year, $15,000 felony; and two counts of poisoning— food/drink/medicine/water supply, another 15-year, $10,000 felony.
While Washtenaw County Health officials said they fielded numerous calls from concerned consumers, no illnesses were confirmed in connection to these alleged crimes.
© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
