Hollywood Stars’ Son Arrested in Deadly Hit-and-Run

The son of two well-known Hollywood actors has been arrested in Alaska after allegedly striking and killing a pedestrian with his SUV before fleeing the scene, later telling police he was afraid to stop because he did not have car insurance.

Jack Sabàto, 32, the son of General Hospital star Antonio Sabàto Jr. and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, is facing felony and misdemeanor charges following the early-morning crash that killed 42-year-old Carl Simmonds in Anchorage.

The deadly collision occurred around 5:35 a.m. Monday, November 9, near the intersection of Airport Heights Drive and DeBarr Road.

According to charging documents, Sabàto was driving a white Chevrolet Tahoe after completing late-night DoorDash deliveries when he allegedly struck Simmonds and continued driving without stopping to offer assistance.

Investigators say surveillance footage captured the horrifying collision, showing the SUV striking the pedestrian without appearing to brake before or after impact.

Police were called to the area approximately 13 minutes later after receiving reports of an unresponsive man near the roadway. Officers discovered Simmonds on a nearby sidewalk, where he was pronounced dead.

But what Sabàto allegedly told investigators hours later has become a central part of the case.

According to court documents, Sabàto claimed he was returning home from making DoorDash deliveries when something suddenly appeared in the road, damaging his vehicle’s headlight.

He reportedly believed he might have struck an animal but admitted he never stopped to find out what happened.

His explanation was that he was frightened because he was driving without insurance.

Investigators also questioned Sabàto about allegedly running a red light after the collision. He reportedly told officers that he felt unsafe continuing to drive without functioning headlights.

Rather than immediately reporting the incident, Sabàto allegedly continued on his way and later went to work.

Detectives investigating Simmonds’ death obtained surveillance footage from the nearby Blood Bank of Alaska, which helped them identify the white SUV involved in the collision.

Using vehicle registration records, police traced the Tahoe to Sabàto’s address and eventually located it at an Anchorage Amazon warehouse.

At approximately 12:45 p.m., investigators discovered the vehicle parked outside the facility with fresh damage to its right front corner, consistent with a pedestrian collision.

Police obtained a warrant and seized the SUV as evidence.

About two hours later, Sabàto contacted authorities, initially reporting that he had struck an animal.

According to charging documents, he called police after his girlfriend informed him that investigators had seized his vehicle.

He allegedly admitted that learning the SUV had been taken made him fear the worst.

Sabàto was subsequently arrested and charged with felony failure to assist an injured person after an accident and a misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of an accident involving injury or death.

The arrest quickly attracted national attention because of his famous family.

His father, Antonio Sabàto Jr., rose to prominence as a model and actor, becoming a familiar face to daytime television audiences through his role as Jagger Cates on General Hospital.

His mother, Virginia Madsen, earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance in the acclaimed 2004 film Sideways and has appeared in numerous Hollywood productions, including Candyman.

Sabàto is also the nephew of late actor Michael Madsen, known for his roles in Quentin Tarantino films such as Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill.

Speaking to TMZ following his son’s arrest, Antonio Sabàto Jr. said the family was struggling to process the devastating news.

“We all just found out the terrible news and our family is digesting this horrible news and asking for privacy,” the actor said.

He later expressed sympathy for Simmonds’ loved ones while emphasizing his unconditional love for his son and urging the public to allow the legal process to unfold.

Meanwhile, DoorDash has reportedly removed Sabàto’s access to its delivery platform as the company investigates the incident.

In a statement to TMZ, the company expressed condolences to the victim’s family and said it would cooperate with law enforcement.

Sabàto appeared in an Anchorage courtroom Tuesday, November 10, wearing a yellow jail uniform as a judge reviewed the charges against him.

His bail was set at $5,000, and the court ordered him not to drive. He also faces an additional $5,000 financial penalty if he fails to appear for future court proceedings.

The victim’s death has highlighted another troubling issue in Alaska’s largest city.

According to Alaska Public Media, Simmonds was the ninth pedestrian killed in a vehicle collision in Anchorage in 2026. The city recorded 15 pedestrian traffic deaths in each of the previous two years.

For Simmonds’ family, the case represents far more than another celebrity-connected arrest. The 42-year-old lost his life during an early-morning crash, leaving loved ones grieving as investigators work to establish exactly what happened.

Sabàto has not been convicted of a crime, and the charges currently concern his alleged failure to stop and provide assistance after the collision, rather than a separate homicide offense.

The investigation remains ongoing.