by Becker, Minnesota – A Minnesota man has been sentenced to less than a year in jail after his girlfriend died when she leaped from his moving truck — and he failed to stop and help her.
Man Sentenced in Girlfriend’s Death After Tragic Night
Johnathan James Schafer, 35, was ordered to serve 364 days in a local jail with 175 days of time already served, followed by three years of probation for the death of 23-year-old Julia Marie Marthaler, according to court records reviewed by Law&Crime. The sentence was handed down by Tenth Judicial District Judge Walter M. Kaminsky on Thursday.
Schafer pleaded guilty in September to one count of felony failure to stop after a traffic crash resulting in injury or death and one count of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.
Judge Kaminsky also imposed a two-year suspended prison sentence, meaning Schafer could serve additional prison time if he violates his probation. Conditions include abstaining from alcohol, attending substance abuse and mental health treatment, and completing a driver improvement course.
The Fatal Night
According to the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal incident occurred on May 15 when Schafer’s mother called 911, reporting that her son had phoned her to say his girlfriend “had jumped out of his truck.”
Minutes later, another woman — a friend of Schafer — also called 911, saying Schafer told her the same thing. He claimed that Marthaler had jumped out near a cemetery and that he was now at Becker City Park. Schafer reportedly said he checked on Marthaler and found her “unresponsive”, but then left her at the scene.
Both callers noted that Schafer sounded intoxicated.
When officers arrived at the park, they found Schafer sitting in the driver’s seat of his parked truck, still on the phone. Police said they could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle.
“Officers also located blood on the door, handle, and on the defendant’s hand,” the affidavit stated. “Officers also observed a shotgun cased in the backseat. Schafer agreed to travel with Becker officers in an attempt to locate Marthaler.”
Discovery of Marthaler’s Body
A joint search effort by multiple agencies led authorities to discover Marthaler’s body lying in the grass several feet from the road on the 5800 block of 140th Avenue Southeast. She appeared to have suffered severe trauma and was pronounced dead shortly after being found.
Investigators determined that Schafer spent more than 42 minutes on the phone with his mother and friend after the incident instead of calling for emergency medical assistance.
Argument Before the Fatal Jump
In a post-Miranda interview, Schafer told police that he and Marthaler had gone out to a bar for dinner, where they both drank alcohol.
“[Schafer] reported that when they left, [Marthaler] did not want to go home and the two drove around backroads,” the affidavit noted. “The defendant reported that an argument occurred and [Marthaler] jumped out of the vehicle. The defendant stated he stopped and checked on her, but she was not responding. He said he panicked when he saw headlights approaching and left the area.”
Authorities said Schafer later moved Marthaler’s body from the side of the road into taller grass, making it even harder for first responders to find her.
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Judge’s Reasoning for the Sentence
Judge Kaminsky described Schafer’s actions as “unusually cruel treatment” toward the victim and imposed a sentence that was higher than standard state guidelines, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
While Schafer’s sentence is shorter than many expected, it underscores the emotional and moral consequences of his failure to help. Marthaler’s death left family and friends devastated — and a community questioning whether justice was fully served.
“He didn’t just drive away — he hid her,” one commenter on social media wrote after the sentencing. “That’s not panic. That’s cruelty.”
The tragedy serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of drinking and driving and the responsibility to act when someone’s life is in danger.
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