Joshua Ben Anderson, Obstruction of Investigation, Arizona 2023

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Arizona Cop Indicted for Obstruction

A former White Mountain police officer has been charged with obstructing a murder investigation after a woman was found dead on a highway in the state of Arizona last year. Joshua Ben Anderson, 49, is facing a two-count indictment for his alleged involvement in a traffic fatality that took place on Thanksgiving Day, 2023.

According to the indictment, Anderson, who was on-duty at the time, drove the same stretch of highway where the body was discovered just minutes before being dispatched to the scene. He claimed to have felt a ‘bump’ but continued driving without stopping to investigate. The indictment alleges that Anderson then actively participated in the police investigation, speaking with paramedics, interviewing witnesses, and filling out an autopsy report, all while keeping his likely involvement in the traffic fatality a secret.

Anderson resigned from the police department the next day after removing the bumper from his patrol vehicle and concealing it. The indictment alleges that he allowed the investigation to continue without informing his superiors or fellow officers about his involvement in the accident.

A conviction for each of the two alleged crimes carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the White Mountain Apache Tribe Police Department conducted the investigation in this case, which was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Anderson’s case has sparked concerns about police accountability and the need for transparency in investigations. The community is watching closely as this case unfolds and awaits the outcome of the trial.

CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08027-PHX-SPL. RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-036_Anderson.

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/. Follow them on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.