VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – A Virginia Beach jury found a 27-year-old man guilty of involuntary manslaughter and other charges following a 2023 high-speed crash that killed two passengers.

Maxwell J. Schaefer, formerly of Tomball, Texas, was also convicted of possession of a Schedule I/II drug and reckless driving – endangerment.

Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin D. Stolle announced the verdict on Feb. 23, 2026, following a three-day trial in Virginia Beach Circuit Court.

The conviction stems from a May 7, 2023, incident where Schaefer drove 113 mph on Interstate 264-West before veering off the highway and striking a tree.

Schaefer was driving three passengers in the early morning hours after leaving a concert at Peabody’s nightclub at the Oceanfront. Evidence presented during the trial showed the vehicle was traveling in the far-left lane of Interstate 264-West when it suddenly veered across all lanes of traffic and then hit a tree. A witness and an off-duty Virginia Beach police officer arrived at the scene and discovered one occupant had died on impact.

Todd Reid Marcey was the passenger pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Another passenger, Tajh Dorleans, was transported to a hospital where he remained for 10 months. Dorleans eventually died from injuries sustained in the collision. A third passenger survived the crash, but faces lifelong medical complications, Stolle said in a news release.

Following the collision, rescue personnel transported Schaefer and the other occupants to the hospital. Investigators found a vial of cocaine in Schaefer’s clothing and located drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle. Medical tests conducted at the hospital confirmed evidence of drug use by Schaefer at the time of the incident.

Schaefer was arrested after completing a period of rehabilitation for injuries he suffered in the crash.

Circuit Court Judge Tanya Felton, who presided over the trial, is scheduled to sentence Schaefer on May 27, 2026.

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