The racer, identified by family as 30-year-old Chase Johnson, was injured in a confrontation while leaving the track with his partner.

A security guard at Sonoma Raceway faces felony charges after a local racer, who uses a wheelchair, was injured in an encounter during Sunday’s NASCAR Toyota/Save Mart 350, officials said.

Alexander Rosiles, 27, of Stockton, was arrested around 3 p.m. following a confrontation with the victim and his partner, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. Rosiles, charged with assault and battery, appeared briefly in Sonoma County Superior Court on Tuesday, where a judge set his plea for Aug. 12.

Court records list the victim as John Doe, but in a now-deleted Facebook post, family members identified him as Chase Johnson, 30, a well-known Penngrove sprint car driver who was paralyzed in a 2024 crash. Neither Johnson nor Sonoma Raceway officials responded to requests for comment.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Johnson and his partner were exiting through an access point with valid passes when Rosiles blocked them.

“The guard pushed the victim, causing his wheelchair to tip over, resulting in the victim losing consciousness and sustaining injuries,” the Sheriff’s Office reported.

In the Facebook post, Johnson’s wife, Hayley Johnson, said the two were leaving and attempting to reach a handicap parking area when Rosiles allowed other people through but refused them access. When they asked to speak to a supervisor, she wrote, he declined — then first told them to leave, and moments later demanded they stay.

Rosiles then shoved Johnson, she wrote, flipping the wheelchair backward. Johnson struck his head on the pavement and lost consciousness for roughly 15 seconds.

He was treated at the track’s medical center before being transported to a hospital, where he remained overnight.

Rosiles remains in custody on $35,000 bail. Prosecutors also allege he violated the terms of a previous assault conviction from March 2019 in San Joaquin County.

A fourth-generation racer, Johnson has won more than 300 main events, including titles in Outlaw Karts and 360 Winged Sprint Cars. In August 2024, he crashed during the Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, suffering multiple spinal fractures.

He underwent emergency surgery at UC Davis Medical Center and later spent five months in intensive rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, one of the nation’s top spinal cord injury hospitals.

“Anyone who knows Chase knows that he is more than just a figure in the racing community,” Hayley Johnson wrote in a GoFundMe campaign. “He’s a beacon of joy, kindness, and dedication.”

Since returning to Penngrove in early 2025, Johnson has continued physical therapy and training through SCI Fit, a specialized spinal cord injury center. In recent months, he has resumed attending local races as a spectator.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi