REDDING, Calif. — David Schaeffer appeared in Shasta County Superior Court on Tuesday, facing multiple felony charges stemming from a violent confrontation with police and a dramatic multi-state manhunt.
Schaeffer is charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, evading police while driving recklessly, resisting an executive officer, and possession of a hard drug with two prior convictions.
The charges originate from a March 26 incident in the Safeway parking lot on Cypress Avenue in Redding. According to the Shasta County District Attorney, police officers attempted to arrest Schaeffer on an outstanding felony warrant when he suddenly accelerated his vehicle toward one of the officers. In response, the officer fired his weapon, striking Schaeffer.
Despite being shot, Schaeffer fled the scene, crashing into a parked car in a nearby neighborhood before eventually surrendering. The officer rendered immediate medical aid, but Schaeffer was later transferred to a hospital outside the area and discharged without notifying law enforcement.
A manhunt ensued, and on April 10, Schaeffer was located and arrested by Nevada authorities in Reno. He was booked into the Washoe County Jail and later extradited to California. He is currently held at the Shasta County Jail, with bail set at $360,000 across three felony cases.
