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The White Mountain Apache Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian struck early Thursday morning, just over two miles south of the Hon-Dah Casino, the sheriff’s office says. The victim was identified as Iris Billy.
The next day, White Mountain Apache Police Officer Josh Anderson was arrested after an investigation determined his police vehicle had damage consistent with a pedestrian strike, authorities say. Anderson subsequently resigned from the police department.
Officer Accused of Killing Woman in Hit-and-Run Notified Her Next of Kin Afterward
The White Mountain Apache Police Department says the crash happened Nov. 23 around 3:30 a.m. on Highway 73, just south of the Hon-Dah Casino.
Authorities say the officer and his patrol car fled the scene.
[snip]
On Nov. 24 at 9 p.m., police said, "Regarding the vehicular fatality involving a pedestrian, an arrest has been made."
By Nov. 25, the Navajo County Sheriff's Office confirmed the suspect was one of its own officers, Josh Anderson. He was arrested at his home in Whiteriver.
Woman killed by officer in hit-and-run on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, police say
The deadly collision happened at about 3:30 a.m. last Thursday, Nov. 23, on State Route 73 at milepost 355 near Pinetop-Lakeside. That’s about 2.5 miles south of the Hon-Dah Casino on the Fort Apache Reservation. In a Facebook post a few hours after the crash, police said the unknown vehicle fled the scene and had not been located. In a follow-up message that was posted on Friday night, the department announced that an arrest had been made but provided no other details. Both posts have since been deleted.
During the investigation, police later found that Anderson’s patrol vehicle had damage that was “consistent with a collision with a pedestrian.” On Monday, the NCSO confirmed that Anderson, 49, was arrested at his home in Whiteriver on Friday night. In addition, the sheriff’s office said that Anderson was on duty when the crash occurred and had also responded to the scene and made next-of-kin notifications to Billy’s family.
[snip]
Billy’s sister, Phylene Burnette, says their family is heartbroken and can’t wrap their heads around what Anderson did. “It is very disturbing, sickening and heartless. Whatever he did to her, he came back to the scene and helped investigate,” Burnette said. “And he (Anderson) was one of the four officers that came to my parent’s house to break the news to them.”
Burnette says Billy was a mother to two boys, nine and 10 years old. She has a twin sister as well as two younger siblings. “We were expecting her home that morning. They still need her. She was the sole parent, she was everything to them,” Burnette said. “To know it was someone in our local police department, emotions are all over the place. It’s sadness and anger, like why? He needs to stay in jail.”
Tribal police officer arrested in deadly hit-and-run in eastern Arizona
The next day, White Mountain Apache Police Officer Josh Anderson was arrested after an investigation determined his police vehicle had damage consistent with a pedestrian strike, authorities say. Anderson subsequently resigned from the police department.
Officer Accused of Killing Woman in Hit-and-Run Notified Her Next of Kin Afterward
The White Mountain Apache Police Department says the crash happened Nov. 23 around 3:30 a.m. on Highway 73, just south of the Hon-Dah Casino.
Authorities say the officer and his patrol car fled the scene.
[snip]
On Nov. 24 at 9 p.m., police said, "Regarding the vehicular fatality involving a pedestrian, an arrest has been made."
By Nov. 25, the Navajo County Sheriff's Office confirmed the suspect was one of its own officers, Josh Anderson. He was arrested at his home in Whiteriver.
Woman killed by officer in hit-and-run on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, police say
The deadly collision happened at about 3:30 a.m. last Thursday, Nov. 23, on State Route 73 at milepost 355 near Pinetop-Lakeside. That’s about 2.5 miles south of the Hon-Dah Casino on the Fort Apache Reservation. In a Facebook post a few hours after the crash, police said the unknown vehicle fled the scene and had not been located. In a follow-up message that was posted on Friday night, the department announced that an arrest had been made but provided no other details. Both posts have since been deleted.
During the investigation, police later found that Anderson’s patrol vehicle had damage that was “consistent with a collision with a pedestrian.” On Monday, the NCSO confirmed that Anderson, 49, was arrested at his home in Whiteriver on Friday night. In addition, the sheriff’s office said that Anderson was on duty when the crash occurred and had also responded to the scene and made next-of-kin notifications to Billy’s family.
[snip]
Billy’s sister, Phylene Burnette, says their family is heartbroken and can’t wrap their heads around what Anderson did. “It is very disturbing, sickening and heartless. Whatever he did to her, he came back to the scene and helped investigate,” Burnette said. “And he (Anderson) was one of the four officers that came to my parent’s house to break the news to them.”
Burnette says Billy was a mother to two boys, nine and 10 years old. She has a twin sister as well as two younger siblings. “We were expecting her home that morning. They still need her. She was the sole parent, she was everything to them,” Burnette said. “To know it was someone in our local police department, emotions are all over the place. It’s sadness and anger, like why? He needs to stay in jail.”
Tribal police officer arrested in deadly hit-and-run in eastern Arizona
