Failure to Appear

A Sheridan woman who was scheduled to be arraigned on a number of charges Thursday in Fourth Judicial District Court, failed to appear for the hearing. A petition to revoke the bond of Savannah Schaffer was granted by District Court Judge John Fenn and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest. Schaffer also failed to appear for a scheduled arraignment hearing on February 11.

Schaffer was arrested on November 18 of last year when she showed up late to the Sheridan Police Department for her scheduled breath test as part of the 24/7 Sobriety Program. She was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance- Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance- Marijuana, and Driving Under Suspension. The two drug possession charges are being prosecuted as felonies due to the fact that Schaffer has previously been convicted of similar charges at least two times.

According to court documents, Schaffer had left her vehicle running in the parking lot of the Police Department when she went inside for the scheduled breath test, and when an officer with the PD entered the vehicle to retrieve the keys after Schaffer had been arrested for showing up late for the test, the officer noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded methamphetamine, marijuana and various drug paraphernalia, including a pipe and a bong. An arraignment hearing will be reset once Schaffer is arrested and taken into custody. Each drug possession charge is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and fines of up to $5,000. Misdemeanor Driving Under Suspension is punishable by up to six-months in jail and a fine of up to $750.