Jack Antonio Sabàto Appears in Court for Fatal Anchorage Hit-and-Run

Jack Antonio Sabàto appeared in court on Thursday for a pre-indictment hearing regarding the fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of Carl Simmonds. The proceedings follow a fatal hit-and-run that killed pedestrian Carl Simmonds.

According to the charging document filed Nov. 10, Anchorage police and firefighters were dispatched to the sidewalk along Airport Heights Drive near the Blood Bank of Alaska at approximately 5:48 a.m. Monday. They discovered the body of Simmonds alongside fragments of a vehicle.

Surveillance footage from the blood bank, as noted by prosecutors, captured a white Chevrolet Tahoe striking the pedestrian at 5:35 a.m. The documentation alleges that no braking occurred either before or after the impact.

The investigation moved quickly after police traced a registered white Tahoe to Sabàto. Officers located the vehicle at an Amazon warehouse by 12:45 p.m. the same day, observing fresh damage to its front-right corner. Following the issuance of a search warrant, Sabàto contacted authorities at 2:46 p.m. to report that he had struck an animal while performing late-night deliveries for DoorDash.

Jack Sabàto appears in court in fatal Anchorage hit-and-run case — Alaska's News Source

In his account to officers, Sabàto stated he was on his way home when something appeared in the road. He said he knew he had hit something but did not know it was a person. He told police he did not stop to investigate because he was frightened and lacked insurance, adding that he called police after his girlfriend told him the Tahoe had been taken.

Legal proceedings and the path to December

At the hearing on Tuesday, the court initially appointed the Public Defender Agency to represent the 32-year-old, though this remains subject to a further review of his financial status. Sabàto faces charges of leaving an accident without assisting, a class A felony, and leaving the scene of an accident involving injury or death, a misdemeanor. These charges remain allegations, and he has not been convicted.

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During the court appearance, the defense attorney disputed the state’s characterization of the event. The attorney emphasized that Sabàto had contacted police and cooperated and argued that his lack of a prior criminal record—as confirmed by the Alaska Public Safety Information Network—warranted a lower bail and a restriction against driving.

The judge set bail at $5,000 cash performance and an additional $5,000 unsecured appearance, while mandating that the defendant not drive, sit in a vehicle’s driver’s seat or possess vehicle keys.

The efforts of those searching for Simmonds before his body was discovered highlight the human stakes of the tragedy. Crystal Tickett, who had posted to Facebook on Nov. 9 seeking information, said that Simmonds had left Alaska Regional Hospital around 5 a.m. on the day of the incident. A spokesperson for the Anchorage Police Department stated they have no record of a missing-person report filed by Tickett.

Jack Sabato returns to court in fatal hit-and-run case — Your Alaska Link TV

Stakes for the community and the next steps

While Alaska’s News Source has sought access to the surveillance footage from the Blood Bank of Alaska, the organization indicated it is currently consulting with police and its board of directors to determine if the video can be released to the public. Meanwhile, the family of the deceased has declined to speak with media outlets.

The case has also garnered attention due to the background of the defendant. In a statement released Wednesday on his Facebook page, Antonio Sabàto Jr. expressed condolences to the family of the victim, confirmed his unconditional support for his children, and requested that the media and the public respect his family’s privacy.

As the legal process continues, the court has set the next pre-indictment hearing for Dec. 3. At that time, Sabàto is expected to have completed the necessary documentation regarding his legal representation.