Stock gets two years for negligent homicide

By Jon Johnson
Assistant Editor
Published on Sunday, November 23, 2008 7:01 PM MST

After pleading guilty to three felonies last month – negligent homicide and two counts of aggravated assault – Billy Jack Stock, 29, of Safford was sentenced to two years in prison by Judge R. Douglas Holt on Nov. 17.

Holt also sentenced Stock to enroll in an inpatient alcohol treatment program upon his release from prison and to serve five years on intensive probation.

He was taken into custody after the judgement to immediately begin serving his sentence.

Billy Jack Stock

Stock was originally charged with 10 felony counts, including manslaughter, stemming from a single-vehicle rollover off Bryce/Eden Road that occurred April 6, 2007, and took the life of Jason Grugle of Saint Johns.

Grugle was one of seven people ejected from the Chevy Blazer that Stock was driving. Three children, ages 9 to 14, were among those ejected.

The Department of Public Safety’s crime lab analysis of Stock’s blood taken on the evening of the accident showed a blood-alcohol concentration of .219. A BAC of .15 or higher is considered an extreme DUI.

Special Prosecutor Matt Clifford tried the case for the state due to a conflict with the Graham County Attorney’s office.

County Attorney Kenny Angle said Stock was previously a client of his from years ago, so his department needed to find a special prosecutor not associated with the County Attorney’s office to try the case.

Clifford said he was satisfied with the plea agreement which stipulated Stock serve two years in prison. He added that Stock will go through an inpatient alcohol treatment program and be on intensive probation for five years after he is released.

While on probation, Stock will not be allowed to ingest any alcohol or illegal drugs. Clifford said if Stock is caught violating any rules of his probation, he would immediately be placed into custody and the probation revocation process would begin.

If Stock is found in violation of his probation, he would face an additional two to 8.75 years in prison.

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Comments

15 comment(s)

observer wrote on Dec 8, 2008 7:29 PM:

" agian to concerned--each agency is in control of it's own investigations, other agencies may assist but it is at the lead agencies direction. The CA can't work miricales, they can only work with what the officers bring them. The Judge in turn can work with what the attorneys work out in a plea agreement. Time to get with the program SO. "

Concerned wrote on Dec 4, 2008 10:35 PM:

" You gotta be kidding! Squabbling over PD v. SO? Ok here you go. SO was point. Assisted by PPD, PFD, SWA, DPS Crime Lab, and various other agencies. Still does not change the premise of the post. And Glen Orr was the investigator for the CA right around the time frame this occurred. Even if he had left to go to work for SPD by this time, I would expect the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for our county to kick the investigation back to Frank to fix if was really all that screwed up. "

observer wrote on Dec 2, 2008 9:02 PM:

" To Concerned--this case wasn' t investigated by a PD it was investigated by the SO under the direction of the outgoing sheriff, maybe new blood will correct these types of errors. Also, the CA hasn't had an investigator for over a year. "

jodis wrote on Dec 1, 2008 2:45 PM:

" This is sick! How could Clifford say that this sentence is reasonable? How could the Judge be so leniant? Graham County prosecutors need to shape up. Due to growth, depression, unemployment in the Gila Valley, this is likely to be recurring. And of course, this guy is going to turn back to drugs and alcohol. They all do. "

Concerned wrote on Nov 26, 2008 9:31 PM:

" Jason and Wow I thought this is one of the reasons the CA employed its own investigator to cover any "inadequacies" in the investigations conducted by the local PD's. "

To Jason... wrote on Nov 25, 2008 8:35 PM:

" Haha that is so funny - I'm glad someone finally has the guts to say what you did but maybe the question is who the female investigator is doing not what. "

To get tough wrote on Nov 25, 2008 4:18 PM:

" Just so you know, probation can track who is injesting alcohol and drugs by a simple eye machine. Probationers have to pay a monthly fee and are randomly selected to come in and take the test. Falure is a probation violation. This is a machine that has only been around a couple months. "

Jason wrote on Nov 25, 2008 1:40 PM:

" Really they made a mistake. After sitting at the Manor House or Jerry's all night and discussing training and tactical moves or traffic collision investigation. Wow I cant imagine with all the free time an investigation would get screwed up. With that blazing new female they have in investigations and the experince in some of their sharp witted sgts. How could things go wrong. Oh wait its Graham County. I am sure it was the same situation on the Jo-Beez wreck. Screwed up that to I imagine. "

To WOW wrote on Nov 25, 2008 11:01 AM:

" That is not the bottom line, the bottom line is the Sheriff's Department screwed up the investigation and that was the best the prosecutors could do. Read the court transcripts if you think I'm wrong. "

WOW wrote on Nov 24, 2008 11:24 PM:

" The bottom line is, it was all up to Holt. All you have to do is shed a few tears and Holt will feel sorry for you, no matter what you have done. If this guy gets off on 2 years, what are the other murder's in Graham county jail going to get off with? The most he'll end up doing is 8.75 years for taking a life. I believe if you take some ones life, you shouldn't get the privilege of even getting to live in prison! I didn't think Clifford would go for a plea like that! "

Concerned wrote on Nov 24, 2008 8:29 PM:

" Holt could have rejected that plea agreement and did not. What a shame. Somebody can injure that many people (children included) and also kill somebody and walk away with a 2 year sentence. Wow! Time for Doug to retire and go back to ambulance chasing. "

sister of Jason Grugel wrote on Nov 24, 2008 4:13 PM:

" He'll screw up again and end up serving the full time, you can count on it!!! He cant stay away from the drugs or alcohol, he already popped positive once for THC and vicodin before he was sentenced... Let's just hope that his PO stays on him and follows up and doesn't screw things up like the sheriff's dept. did. "

Jason wrote on Nov 24, 2008 12:58 PM:

" You know I am sure this guy has learned his lesson. Unlike the previouos 10 contacts with police he is now on probation and not allowed to drink. WOOOOOO.....The attorney that allowed this pathetic plea bargin should be drug out of his office and not allowed to practice again. The prosecuters these days seem to be doing a better job at defending people than sending them to jail or prison. But hey he is on probation after he gets out. I am sure he will do better. "

get tough wrote on Nov 24, 2008 12:17 PM:

" "he will not be able to ingest alcohol during his probation".... PLEASE! I have seen many people on probation ingest alcohol when they are prohibited from doing so..... "

too little time wrote on Nov 24, 2008 9:15 AM:

" That doesn't seem like much prison time for someone who killed another person and injured several more people because he was doing something utterly stupid! "

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