SANTA CRUZ, Calif.- Eric Weers, the man charged with driving the wrong way into on-coming traffic over the summer and killing a 49-year-old woman, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
On July 11, 2011, the California Highway Patrol said Weers intentionally drove the wrong way that afternoon and smashed into Analuz Barajas' car where Highway 17 south becomes Highway 1 in Santa Cruz.
Weers is charged with murder.
Investigators have not said why they think Weers was driving the wrong way, but said they don't think drugs or alcohol played a role.
On Thursday, Weers' attorney entered a not guilty plea, claiming he was insane at the time of the incident.
"We have a very long history of very serious debilitating mental illness including numerous hospitalizations, he has been found by the courts in the past to be disabled, he's spent lengthy periods in mental hospitals that were due to total mental breakdowns," said Weers' attorney William Weigel.
Weigel said Weers has been diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder, something similar to schizophrenia.
Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee said they do not believe he was insane at the time he killed Barajas, a mother of four and employee at Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center in Santa Cruz.
