A 29-year-old Cornville man was arrested after repeatedly striking a vehicle with his own late-model teal and white truck in what was reportedly a road rage incident that ended at the intersection of State Route 89A and Brewer Road around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15.

Benjamin Michael Schaefer allegedly rear-ended a vehicle stopped at a red light in West Sedona and fled the scene of the crash. The vehicle he struck followed him down State Route 89A.

Numerous callers reported the incident to police.

Nearing Brewer Road, Schaefer allegedly reversed into the victim’s vehicle — in which a mother, father and their 15-year-old daughter were traveling — striking it a second time in the front.

Schaefer reportedly tried to reverse into the victim’s vehicle again in a third attempt to collide with it. Police arrived quickly on the scene, closing off the left eastbound lane of State Route 89A just west of the Brewer Road roundabout.

When police contacted Schaefer, he was allegedly incoherent and did not obey commands, and resisted by twisting and pulling when he was detained and handcuffed.

Schaefer’s license was found to be revoked, canceled and suspended.

Due to his behavior he was placed in a WRAP safe restraint system, evaluated by Sedona Fire District crews and transported to the Verde Valley Medical Center. A blood draw for DUI was conducted at the hospital by an Arizona Department of Public Safety phlebotomist.

Schaefer was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or instrument, aggravated DUI with driver’s license restriction, three counts of endangerment, failure to stop at an accident with injury, resisting arrest and felony escape in the second degree.

Schaefer’s case J-1302-CF-2023000136 was tranferred to the Yavapai County Superior Court on March 24 as S-1300-CR-202380163 and his bond was set at $2,500 on March 30. No trial date has yet be set.

Case Update, March 29, 2023

Schaefer waived a preliminary hearing on March 23 and was ordered for to an early disposition hearing set for Thursday, May 4, at 1 p.m.

Case Update, Jan. 11, 2024

On Dec. 11, Schaefer pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI, endangerment and leaving the scene of accident with injury. Schaefer is scheduled to be be sentenced at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Schaefer is represented by Sebrina M. Shaw, of Shaw Law Firm PLLC, based in Cottonwood. The county is being represented by Larissa Parker.

Case Update, Jan. 31, 2024

On Jan. 18, Schaefer was sentenced to 120 days in jail and 10 years of supervised probation after release from jail for aggravated DUI, a class 4 felony.

He was also sentenced to three years of supervised probation for leaving the scene of accident with injury, a class 1 misdemeanor, and endangerment against three victims. Per the judge’s sentencing, the endangerment charge will be treated as a misdemeanor pursuant to successful completion of the three years of supervised probation.

Schaefer was also ordered to pay one of the victims restitution of $879.05.

He was given credit for 41 days already served in jail.