ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Alexander M.M. Uballez, the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, the special agent in charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field office, recently announced that Ryntana Yazzie, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for an Aug. 4, 2020, drunk driving crash that left trucker John Doe deceased.
According to the court documents, Yazzie, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, was driving south on Highway 371 outside of Farmington, New Mexico, when her vehicle veered into oncoming traffic and struck a semi-truck driven by Doe, who was driving northbound.
Authorities said that Doe tried to swerve to avoid the collision, causing the impact to be head-on. Doe was declared deceased at the scene after suffering blunt force trauma in the head and neck areas, causing hemorrhaging. Yazzie sustained a broken left arm and a broken leg.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation, the Department of Criminal Investigations, and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
It was also stated that upon her release from prison, Yazzie would be subject to three years of supervised release.
Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Erica N. Guy decided to stay in her hometown to begin her professional career in journalism. Since obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UAPB, Erica has professionally written for several publications about several topics ranging from lifestyle, tech, culture, and entertainment, just to name a few. Continuing her love for her hometown, she joined our team in June 2023, where she is currently a staff writer. Her career goals include continuing storytelling through her writing by being the best professional writer she can be. In her spare time, Erica enjoys trying new foods, cozying up with a good book, spending time with family and friends, and establishing herself as a future businesswoman.
