Jack Sabàto, the son of soap opera star Antonio Sabàto Jr. and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run in Anchorage, Alaska. The incident occurred at approximately 5:35 a.m. on Monday when Sabàto, 32, was allegedly driving a white Chevrolet Tahoe and struck Carl Simmonds near an intersection. Eyewitness reports indicate that Sabàto left the scene but later contacted police, claiming he had hit "something" that had "suddenly appeared in the road" while he was "doing late-night DoorDashing," as detailed in charging documents obtained by KTUU.
Authorities found Simmonds' body in the roadway roughly 15 minutes after the collision, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage of the incident, which led them to trace the vehicle's registration back to Sabàto's residence. A neighbor informed police that Sabàto was at work at the time of the accident. The Tahoe was located at Sabàto's workplace around 12:45 p.m., showing fresh damage consistent with a pedestrian strike, according to the charging documents.S1S2
After the vehicle was seized by police, Sabàto called them about two hours later, stating he had hit an animal and wished to speak with officers. He explained that he was driving home from delivering food when his headlights went out and he struck "something." He admitted to knowing he had hit something but did not stop to check due to a lack of insurance, claiming he decided to report the incident because he "knew the worst." Following his arrest, Sabàto was charged with leaving the scene of an accident without assisting an injured person and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury or death.S1S2
Sabàto appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon, where a judge set his bail at $5,000 and issued a no-driving order. He faces the possibility of an additional $5,000 penalty if he fails to appear for future court hearings. His family, grappling with the tragic news, has requested privacy during this difficult time, as expressed by Antonio Sabàto Jr. in a statement to TMZ.S1S2
