Del Rio Police Arrest Man After Hit-and-Run, Burglary Near Meandering Way

Del Rio police arrested 26-year-old Joseph Alexander Bly following an investigation into a hit-and-run and a related burglary that left a homeowner with thousands of dollars in damage.

Officers were dispatched at approximately 1:16 p.m. on Jan. 23 to the 100 block of Meandering Way after a report of a hit-and-run. Investigators say both vehicles left the scene and were seen traveling south toward Buena Vista Park. One vehicle was described as a brown Ford pickup truck with a yellow dolly in the bed.

Shortly after, officers were notified of a second crash at the 100 block of Maude Lane. The same brown Ford pickup was found unoccupied after striking a fence, causing an estimated $6,000 in damage. A witness reported seeing a Black male in a blue shirt flee on foot and throw items into the backyard of a nearby residence. Officers recovered those items and identified them as the vehicle registration for the Ford pickup.

During a vehicle inventory, officers also located medical documents belonging to Joseph Alexander Bly. An assisting officer later found a man matching the witness description hiding behind a shed in a backyard of a nearby residence. The man was detained without incident and identified himself as Joseph Bly.

Further investigation connected the other involved party to a residence on the 100 block of Meandering Way. The victim reported that a yellow dolly had been stolen from his home and said he pursued the suspect’s vehicle to try to stop the driver. Officers also discovered a blue air compressor inside Bly’s vehicle that had been taken from the victim’s residence without consent.

Joseph Alexander Bly was arrested and charged with duty on striking fixture/highway landscape (≥ $200), tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair, and burglary of habitation. Bly was transported to the Del Rio Police Department for processing and later released to the custody of the GEO Correctional Facility pending magistration.

For Val Verde County residents, the arrest underscores the local impact of property crimes that begin with relatively small thefts but can escalate to dangerous driving and significant property damage. The case also highlights the value of witness reports and quick police response in recovering stolen items. Magistration and potential court proceedings will determine final outcomes; in the meantime, homeowners are reminded to secure tools and equipment and to report suspicious activity to Del Rio Police.