On Friday evening, February 3, a fatal hit and run accident took the lives of 33-year-old Joshua Jackson, of Hobbs, and Californian Octavia Throssel, age 27. According to a Hobbs Police Department (HPD) press release, the incident took place just after 6:00 pm, on West Apache Drive in Hobbs.
The press release states that an informant alerted the HPD about the accident and that the informant told the HPD that two people and a dog had been hit. The reporting person told officers that the people were “walking down the street”. Further, “the reporting person did not see the vehicle.”
Upon arriving at the scene, Hobbs Fire Department EMS determined that both victims of the accident were deceased.
The HPD press release states, “Our detectives and officers worked diligently through the night in an attempt to find the suspected driver.” Police used witnesses, video surveillance footage, social media and HPD “Eagle I. C.” to discover a “possible involved vehicle”. Then, on Saturday, February 4, HPD received a tip about the possible “involvement of a specific company vehicle”.
Suspect Anthony Baca Now Under Arrest
After further investigation and discussion with the identified company, the company confirmed that one of its employees, 26-year-old Anthony Baca, of Hobbs, had been involved in an accident on Friday evening, February 3. Subsequently, HPD detectives contacted Baca at his home, and Baca agreed voluntarily to go to HPD headquarters for an “official interview”.
At the interview and after being read his Miranda Rights, Baca confirmed that he had been driving in the area of West Apache Drive at the time of the accident. Baca stated, “I knew I had hit something … a dog or a deer.” Baca also stated that he was worried about damage to the vehicle, that he had not been with the company long and that “he had to get the truck home”. Baca then told HPD investigators that when he saw on Saturday morning via social media comments about the Friday evening accident, he knew that “…he had to speak with police”.
Baca was then arrested and is now being held at the Hobbs City Jail with no bond.
Baca has been charged with two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter, a Fourth Degree Felony, Tampering with Evidence, a Fourth Degree Felony, Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injury, a Fourth Degree Felony, as well as with Cruelty to Animals and Careless Driving, both Misdemeanors.
According to an unverified social media post, the dog which had been hit in the accident also died.
Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call the HPD at (575) 397-9265 or Lea County Crime Stoppers at (575) 393-8005. Individuals may also provide information by privately messaging HPD on its Facebook page. HPD reminds the public that its Facebook page “…is not monitored in real time and is not a good avenue to report real-time crime.”
