SARASOTA, Fla. — U.S. Marshals have arrested a Bradenton man in connection to a deadly crash that happened in Sarasota earlier this year.
The crash happened at 5:30 p.m. on June 12 in the southbound lanes on North Beneva Road.
The Sarasota Police Department says a motorcycle was driving southbound while Jordan Schopfer, 30, was driving his car northbound. Witnesses told police Schopfer swerved into the inside lane and "made no effort to correct the vehicle."
According to the report, Schopfer continued to drive at an angle over the raised concrete median and into the southbound lanes, hitting and killing the 60-year-old motorcyclist.
Schopfer's driver's license was reportedly suspended for DUI with personal injury, with previous suspensions for DUI and failing to pay a traffic fine from 2020. Schopfer was also on probation for arson charges.
Officers say they believe Schopfer "huffed or snorted" nitrous oxide to "get high" before the crash happened after they found a can of compressed air and a receipt with a timestamp of 12 minutes before the crash.
According to police, surveillance video from the store the can was purchased shows a car matching Schopfer's nearly hitting a pedestrian in the parking lot and rear-ending a parked car.
Schopfer is being held at the Manatee County Jail with no bond on charges of vehicular homicide, manslaughter and driving with a suspended license.
