Josh Anderson: Arizona tribal officer arrested for killing a mother-of-2 in a hit'and-run on Thanksgiving
WHITERIVER, ARIZONA: An Arizona tribal officer reportedly killed a single mother-of-two in a fatal hit-and-run crash on Thanksgiving and later returned to the scene as one of the police officers investigating the incident, authorities have said.
The suspect, Josh Anderson, 49, an officer with the White Mountain Apache Police Department, even apparently joined three other officers to inform Iris Billy’s parents that she had been killed while walking on State Route 73 around 7.30 am.
What did Iris Billy's family say?
“It is very disturbing, sickening, and heartless,” Iris’ sister Phylene Burnette told Arizona Family about the officer’s alleged actions, adding “Whatever he did to her, he came back to the scene and helped investigate. And he was one of the four officers that came to my parents’ house to break the news to them."
“We were expecting her home that morning,” Burnette said of her 30-year-old sister, adding “To know it was someone in our local police department, emotions are all over the place. It’s sadness and anger, like why?”
Burnette said Anderson was booked into the White Mountain Apache Adult Detention Facility on Friday, November 24, and “needs to remain in jail”. She added that Billy left behind two sons, Imani, 10, and Kolby, nine. “They still need her,” Burnette said, adding “She was the sole parent, she was everything to them.”
Tribal police quickly realized one of their officers was the main suspect
Tribal police said they quickly realized one of their own officers was the main suspect in the early morning crash after Anderson’s patrol vehicle was found with damage “consistent with a collision with a pedestrian.” Anderson was on duty at the time of the crash, the White Mountain Apache Police Department said in a statement.
“They started to recognize there was a police car that was there [at the scene] that had some damage on it, but again, in rural Arizona, our cars get torn up sometimes because officers go to the forest,” Chief Deputy Brian Swanty explained to Arizona Family.
“But as the investigation continued, there was more and more indication saying something just isn’t fitting here. Who would ever think it was the police car involved that’s now back on [the] scene? That is just not normal,” Swanty further said. “I can’t imagine that scenario there at all,” he said, noting that informing next of kin their relative died is “probably one of the worst assignments to be given, let alone knowing you had something to do with it, I can’t imagine that.”
“Had he stopped, rendered aid like the rest of us would be required to do, we wouldn’t be speaking today,” Swanty said.
What charges does Josh Anderson face?
Anderson is charged with tribal violations of assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault causing serious physical injury, and criminal negligence. He is also charged with reckless driving, interference with an officer, death caused by a vehicle, and leaving the scene of a fatality collision.
Anderson resigned from the police department in which he has served for 20 years following his arrest on Friday. The case has been turned over to the FBI.
“This is an extremely sad time for the family of the victim, the men and women at the White Mountain Apache Police Department, and the White Mountain Apache Tribe,” the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“This event is an isolated incident and is not reflective of the fine police officers that serve and protect the citizens of the White Mountain Apache Reservation every day,” it stressed. “The White Mountain Apache Police Department acted in a swift, transparent, and aggressive manner to find the facts and document the incident. Their professionalism and vigilance throughout the investigation resulted in the ability to gather evidence and facts surrounding the death of Iris Billy.”