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Ramming case back in court

Cody Thomas Schaff

By From staff reports
Published: June 17, 2009

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A case against an 18-year-old Pennsylvania man – who was charged after officials say he used a stolen pickup to deliberately strike a Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s cruiser twice during a June 1 chase – will now head to a Madison County grand jury.

During a June 16 preliminary hearing, Madison General District Court Presiding Judge Roger L. Morton sent the charges against the man, Cody Thomas Schaff of Shippensburg, Pa., to a grand jury.

The felony charges to be considered by the grand jury include an amended charge of attempted malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer, grand larceny, credit card theft and eluding police. The man was initially charged with the attempted capital murder of a law enforcement officer.

A hearing regarding a felony arrest fugitive charge was continued until 9 a.m. Sept. 8 in Madison General District Court. Madison County Commonwealth’s Attorney George Webb decided not to prosecute Schaff’s previous charges of credit card fraud, receiving stolen goods and reckless driving/speeding. Two of Schaff’s three credit card theft charges were dismissed at the same time.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the judge heard from Schaff – who appeared in court wearing a black- and white-striped jumpsuit and wrist and ankle shackles alongside his attorney Fred Henshaw of Madison. Three reported eyewitnesses to the U.S. 29 incident also spoke.

Schaff’s case will likely appear before a grand jury Monday, July 6. The grand jury will determine whether he will be indicted and held for trial by Madison County Circuit Court. He is being held without bond at Central Virginia Regional Jail in Orange.