FOND DU LAC, Wis. — The man who crashed his car into a Verizon store and injured six people in April 2023 has been convicted of eight felonies.
Fond du Lac District Attorney’s Office says 21-year-old Benjamin Ayer was under the influence of marijuana when he lost control of his car and drove into the building. A criminal complaint says police found a pipe and marijuana in his car.
Ayer also admitted to huffing an air duster in a Culver’s parking lot before the crash.
One of the people injured was an employee at the Verizon store and the five others were patrons. One woman became pinned under the car and suffered multiple life-threatening fractures.
In the criminal complaint: “Benjamin admitted to huffing the “Surf Onn” electronics duster compressed gas cleaner prior to leaving the Culver’s parking lot and operating a motor vehicle on a public roadway. As Benjamin was traveling northbound on Rolling Meadows Dr., Benjamin lost control of his vehicle and jumped the curb. The vehicle then went straight to the Verizon store and collided with the exterior wall.”
Ayer pled no contest to intoxicated use of a controlled substance (marijuana) causing great bodily harm, four counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of tetrahydrocannabinols, and operating while intoxicated causing injury.Â
A judge revoked Ayer’s bond and scheduled a sentencing hearing for Feb. 14. Ayer could face a maximum of 27 years in prison.
