Johnathan James Schafer (Sherburne County Jail).
A Minnesota man allegedly driving drunk left his girlfriend for dead after she jumped out of his moving truck during an argument — and police say he never bothered to call 911.
Johnathan James Schafer, 35, stands accused of failing to stop at the scene and remain there when he had reason to believe a death had occurred. He’s also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
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According to a probable cause arrest affidavit by the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, Schafer’s mother dialed 911 dispatch around 9:18 p.m. on May 15 to say she had just received a call from her son saying his girlfriend, 23-year-old Julia Marie Marthaler, had “jumped out of his truck.” About five minutes later, dispatch received another call from a woman saying her friend “Johnnie” relayed to her the same information.
The callers said Schafer told them Marthaler was near a cemetery and he was in the parking lot of a dog park in Becker, some eight minutes away, according to the affidavit. They also said Schafer told them he had gone to check on his girlfriend and she was unresponsive. He sounded drunk, they allegedly told dispatchers.
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Cops went to the dog park and saw Schafer talking on the phone sitting in the driver’s seat of his truck. When cops went to speak with him, they could smell alcohol on his breath, the affidavit said. There was also blood on the truck’s door and Schafer’s hand, along with a shotgun in the back seat, per cops. Schafer was on the phone and refused to end the call, the affidavit said.
Eventually, Schafer agreed to show officers where Marthaler had apparently jumped. He drove to the 5800 block of 140th Avenue Southeast, outside Becker. Cops found Marthaler in the grass a few feet from the road. She had “severe head trauma” and was pronounced dead a short time later.
Detectives spoke with the people who called 911 and say they determined Schafer spoke with them for more than 42 minutes combined. He never called 911 during that time, officers noted.
After receiving his Miranda warnings, Schafer told investigators he and his girlfriend had gone for dinner and drinks at a bar earlier in the evening. After leaving the establishment, he said Marthaler didn’t want to go home so he drove her around on the back roads. At some point they got into an argument and she jumped out of the truck as he drove down the road, per the affidavit. Schafer said he stopped to check on her but she wasn’t responding. He saw headlights approaching and said he “panicked” before running back into his truck and driving away.
Cops are awaiting a blood test from Schafer to determine his blood alcohol level. They arrested him and he remains in the Sherburne County Jail without bond. His next court date is scheduled for June 18. Schafer, who did not have an attorney listed in court records, faces up to three years behind bars if convicted. Deputies say he could be facing additional charges at a later date.
Records show Schafer was on probation for violating a domestic violence protection order earlier this year.
