Zuni Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty in DUI Manslaughter

A 20-year-old Zuni Pueblo man admitted in federal court today to running over and killing a fellow tribal member while driving under the influence of alcohol on the Zuni Indian Reservation. Darold Ray ZunieFeathers pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Albuquerque, facing up to eight years behind bars for the 2015 incident.

On July 29, 2015, ZunieFeathers struck and killed a Zuni Pueblo man with his vehicle in McKinley County, N.M. According to court filings, he was operating the vehicle recklessly and was intoxicated at the time of the crash. Toxicology reports and witness statements indicated he had lost control due to impaired judgment and motor function caused by alcohol.

ZunieFeathers was initially arrested in April 2016 on a criminal complaint and later indicted on May 10, 2016, by a federal grand jury on the same charge. He made no attempt to flee the scene but was taken into custody after investigators determined his level of intoxication played a direct role in the victim’s death.

In court today, ZunieFeathers admitted to driving under the influence and acknowledged that alcohol rendered him incapable of safely operating his vehicle. His guilty plea was entered before a U.S. District Judge in Albuquerque, where he waived his right to trial and accepted responsibility for the fatal crash.

The case was jointly investigated by the FBI’s Gallup office and the Zuni Police Department, highlighting the complex jurisdictional realities of major crimes on tribal lands. Federal prosecutors took over due to the severity of the offense and the reservation’s status as federal jurisdiction.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is leading the prosecution. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. ZunieFeathers remains free on bond pending that hearing, where he faces a maximum penalty of eight years in federal prison and possible fines under federal law.

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