Edmond Man Charged For Leaving Deadly I-35 Crash Scene

<p>On the night of December 14, authorities said 33-year-old Vanya Evans was found dead on the Seward Road off-ramp along southbound Interstate 35 in Logan County.&nbsp;</p>

Thursday, December 28th 2017, 10:57 pm

By: News 9


On the night of December 14, authorities said 33-year-old Vanya Evans was found dead on the Seward Road off-ramp along southbound Interstate 35 in Logan County.

Initially, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) reported the Medical Examiner said the victim’s injuries were consistent with jumping or being pushed from a moving vehicle. OHP said the involved vehicle was possibly a Chevrolet SUV.

According to a probable cause affidavit, OHP interviewed a witness who was at a truck stop pumping gas and saw a Chevrolet SUV lose control on the off-ramp around the time of the crash.

A few days after News 9’s story aired December 15, an anonymous tipster called the Logan County Sheriff's Office. The person gave deputies an address for where a Chevrolet SUV was located. It was a white and had new front-end damage. The caller said the owner apparently tried to hide the damage with garbage cans.

“He opened the lids and laid the lids across the hood,” said Undersheriff Dykes. “There was also some spray paint observed on the hood where he later admitted to spray painting it. There was a lot of zip ties on his grill where he was trying to put the grill back together as best he could so that it didn’t look damaged driving down the road.”

Initially, Undersheriff Dykes said 30-year-old Mark Robbins denied involvement in the accident. He reportedly claimed the damage was from hitting a deer.

But while authorities executed the search warrant, he apparently had a change of heart.

“The suspect actually pulled us aside and said, ‘I need to tell you something,’” Undersheriff Dykes told News 9.

According to the affidavit, Robbins said “I did it, I hit her I am sorry.”

“She was wearing all black,” he reportedly added. “I could not see her.”

The document also showed he said he left the scene because he didn't have vehicle insurance and his passenger had a warrant.

“I freaked out,” he said.

Authorities said grill pieces missing from the suspect's Tahoe matched auto parts located at the scene of the accident.

Investigators caught up to the passenger Robbins referenced in the interview, who had since been taken into custody. Undersheriff Dykes said the passenger corroborated the story. He reportedly stated during the collision, they spun around in a “180” fashion. They both knew, the passenger said, they hit a person and after about five minutes left the scene.

Undersheriff Dykes said the accident is still under investigation, but at this point, it appears Evans was walking in the middle of the off-ramp with her back turned when she was struck by the vehicle.

Robbins faces one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. Robbins is now out on bond. His next court date is set for January 25 in Logan County.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Edmond Police Department also assisted with this case.

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