Man Charged in Hit-and-Run Death Moves Closer to Jury Trial

SAN ANGELO, TX –The Tom Green County courthouse was filled with over 100 criminal pre-trials Tuesday morning.

Some of the more notable trials were for Anthony Andrew Baca, 28, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Michael Gary Keene, 22, charged with accident involving death, and Joseph Absher, 19, charged with sexual assault.

Keene was charged with accident involving death after he struck 23-year-old Gisele Rene Jarmon with his vehicle in the 4500 block of Houston Harte near Olive Garden on June 16, 2015. The morning of the accident, a San Angelo Police Department Officer arrived at the scene and found a deceased woman on the side of the road. Following a traffic investigation by SAPD, it was determined that Jarmon had received injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle.

Part of the suspected vehicles light assembly was located at the scene and was  determined to belong to a 1996-2001 Toyota Camry. An anonymous caller gave SAPD officers information of a golden colored Toyota Camry that they believed was the suspected vehicle.

SAPD located the vehicle matching that description at the Emerald Point Apartments at 3433 Arden Rd. and observed damage to the driver side front of the vehicle and the front windshield. The officer also observed what appeared to be hair in the broken windshield, according to court documents.

The car was owned by Keene, who later told police he was involved in an accident on the Houston Heart Frontage Rd. during the early morning hours on June 16, 2015. He recalled to police that, “he had hit hitting something near Olive Garden.”

His indictment reads that the Defendant admitted to being in an accident, and intentionally and knowingly left the scene without rendering aid to Jarmon when it appeared she needed medical treatment.

Keene was arrested for the second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine not to exceed $10,000. He was held in lieu of a $50,000 surety bond.

Keene was present on Tuesday morning for a pre-trial hearing with Judge Brad Goodwin presiding. It was decided that Keene will appear again for an additional pre-trial on Aug. 9 before preparing for his jury trial scheduled for Aug. 14.

Baca was also present in court Tuesday morning. He is one of three suspects who police say attacked a male victim Paul Garcia outside of Grinner’s Daiquiri Bar in 2015.

Baca was charged with using a deadly weapon with intent to harm Paul Garcia, a second-degree felony that was enhanced to a first-degree felony for a prior similar conviction in 2008. Baca is currently free on a $75,000 bond.

The court calendar shows that Baca is scheduled for an additional pre-trial on Aug. 9 before going forward with his jury trial slated for Aug. 14.

In addition to these pre-trials, Absher was present for his Sexual Assault charge from March of 2016. Absher’s indictment reads that he, “intentionally and knowingly”, sexually assaulted the victim without their consent.

He was indicted by a Tom Green County Grand Jury in July of 2016 and was subsequently arrested in November with a $20,000 bond.

Absher has a motion to quash hearing scheduled in Judge Barbara Walther’s court on Aug. 8, according to court documents. 

A motion to quash is a request to a court to render a previous decision of that court or a lower judicial body ruled null or invalid. It can also be filed due to mistakes made by any lawyer in a court proceeding.

Absher’s jury trial is also scheduled for Aug 14.