A former Tucson man who reported his car stolen after he severed the arm of an acquaintance in a bizarre crash and then threw the arm away was sentenced Monday to 30 days in jail and three years' probation.
In Pima County Superior Court, Judge Deborah Bernini told Joseph Maverick that his 911 call "just defies all understanding."
Aaron Soetaert and Scott Michaels were bar-hopping on Sept. 14, 2009, when their designated driver left them at Club Congress, according to court documents and testimony. Michaels ran into Maverick, an acquaintance, and asked him for a ride home.
Once he was in Maverick's car, Michaels got into an argument over the phone with the designated driver. Maverick became upset and told the men to get out of the vehicle, court documents state.
Michaels got out and then jumped into the back seat, but when Soetaert tried to get into the front, Maverick locked the door.
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Maverick then drove forward, stopped and drove forward repeatedly before taking off at high speed with Soetaert clinging to the side of the vehicle, according to court documents.
When Maverick hit a pole or tree, Soetaert's arm was severed and it fell inside the vehicle; Soetaert fell outside near North Fourth Avenue and East Seventh Street.
A short time later, Maverick pulled over and Michaels got out.
Seven minutes after witnesses called 911 to report the crash, Maverick called 911 to report that his vehicle had been stolen.
Police found Maverick's bloodied vehicle in the 1200 block of East 10th Street and Soetaert's arm in a trash bin 75 feet away, according to court documents.
Maverick denied knowledge of the crash when he spoke with authorities several hours after the incident, until he was confronted about the arm.
Maverick then told police that he was driving erratically because Michaels almost choked him into unconsciousness. He said the last time he saw Soetaert, the man was walking toward a sidewalk. Maverick denied knowing that Soetaert had fallen from his vehicle, and he didn't equate the severed arm with Soetaert.
He said he threw the arm away because of a "psychological breakdown."
Although Maverick was on unsupervised probation for driving under the influence, he denied having anything to drink that night.
Maverick went to trial in October and was convicted of leaving the scene after causing a crash resulting in serious physical injury and tampering with evidence.
Soetaert, who was an Air Force military police officer, has received a medical discharge.
Maverick had left the Army shortly before the incident. He now works for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C.
Contact reporter Kim Smith at 573-4241 or kimsmith@azstarnet.com
