Lance Hobson, 34, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon on charges related to the death of 60-year-old Edmund Onalik, who died after a collision in Fairview Sunday night. New details have emerged in the case, making clearer the events leading up to Onalik’s death.
Hobson was charged shortly after the crash Sunday evening with manslaughter, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol and with his license revoked.
The Night of the Crash
According to police, Hobson was driving his Saturn sedan north on Ingra Street when he ran a red light at the intersection with 15th Avenue. A Chevrolet Silverado was going through the light at that time, and Hobson’s vehicle struck the back right corner, sending the truck into a spin. The Silverado struck Onalik, who was either in the crosswalk or standing on the median between lanes, police said. A street sign on the median was also hit.
Michael Mincks was stopped at the intersection and witnessed the crash. Before emergency personnel arrived, Mincks said he performed chest compressions on Onalik, following the instructions of a 911 dispatcher. He said he was able to revive Onalik, who was still alive when medics took him to a nearby hospital.
Mincks told police he saw a man and a woman flee the Saturn immediately after the crash. A passenger of the vehicle who stayed at the scene, Marlene Braun, confirmed his story, saying she was in the car with Hobson — who she identified as the driver — and her cousin Darlene Mishakoff, along with another male she did not know. Braun said Mishakoff and the unknown male walked away before police arrived.
The Investigation
Police were granted a warrant to test Hobson’s blood for alcohol content, but the results of that test have not been made public.
Police later made contact with Mishakoff, who confirmed Hobson was driving the vehicle when the crash occurred, according to court documents. She stated she paid for gas at a Tesoro gas station moments before the crash. Police obtained surveillance footage from the gas station, and reported the footage showed Hobson getting out of the driver’s seat, filling the car with gas and then getting back into the driver’s sear before the vehicle left the area.
The driver and passenger of the Silverado remained at the scene until police arrived, but left before police could get their statement. Police have asked the driver to contact them by calling 786-8900.
The Arraignment
Onalik’s sister, Nettie Allen, was in court Tuesday during Hobson’s arraignment and tearfully asked the judge to revoke Hobson’s bail of $10,000.
“He took a life away and he can take another life if they let him out,” she said after the hearing. “The bail was ridiculous.”
Presiding Magistrate Judge David Bauer’s assessment of the case and Hobson’s previous criminal history led him to the same conclusion as Allen — that Hobson posed a risk to the community.
“I need to consider flight risk and danger to the community,” said Magistrate Judge David Bauer. “I think the bail is set too low, I think given his history, including four assault convictions, his felony theft conviction, failure to appear, driving with license suspended… I think the bail just needs to be higher than it is to protect the public.”
Judge Bauer increased Hobson’s bail to $100,000, with an additional $5,000 cash performance and a third-party custodian requirement.
Following the hearing, Allen spoke with KTVA and provided new insights into Onalik’s life. She said Onalik had lost both of his legs when he was 16 after falling through some ice while four wheeling near Noatak. She also said he has children and was “sometimes homeless.”
“I would like people to know that my brother was a very nice guy, even though he had a very hard life,” she said.
KTVA 11′s Heather Hintze and Daniella Rivera contributed to this report.
