A Zanesville man has been sentenced to five to seven and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to a hit-and-run incident that resulted in a death. Alexander Jocko, 31, faced Judge Gerald Anderson last Wednesday, admitting to failure to stop after an accident with knowledge of death, classified as a second-degree felony. According to a news release from the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office, Jocko's prosecution was marked by diligent investigative work, piecing together evidence from car parts, DNA testing, and surveillance footage to bring the case to a close.
The tragic incident occurred on September 19, 2024, when Melvin Fields of Zanesville was found dead on U.S. 40 after being struck by multiple vehicles. Responders from the Ohio State Highway Patrol were able to swiftly gather evidence and follow up on tips from the public, eventually tracing the crime back to Jocko. As the accused had been made to quickly leave the scene, no sobriety testing was conducted immediately, complicating the investigation. However, testimony from Jocko's girlfriend, who initially covered for him, and subsequent surveillance video supported that Jocko was indeed responsible for the fatal accident.
Jocko's positive test for marijuana occurred well after the accident, reported the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, making it challenging to definitively link the drug use to the accident, given the circumstances of the night and Fields's attire. The defense's claim that Jocko had attempted to alert police was promptly refuted in court, with Jocko himself admitting to the false nature of this claim.
During the proceedings, Assistant Prosecutor John Litle underscored the arduous journey to justice for Field's family, stating through the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, "Troopers were able to put together the difficult details necessary to show that Jocko knew he had killed a man when he fled." A letter from Field’s son, expressing the profound loss experienced by the family, was also read in court. Despite the remorse expressed by Jocko for his actions, the gravity of the crime and its fallout prompted a stern response from the judiciary, ultimately leading to Jocko's five to potentially seven and a half year sentence.
