Derrick Haskan of Kayenta, Ariz., a member of the Navajo Indian Nation, is headed to federal prison for 240 months after pleading guilty to second degree murder in a blood-soaked crash that claimed two lives. The 20-year sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan, marks the end of a grim chapter sparked by sheer recklessness behind the wheel.
Haskan’s truck barreled into oncoming traffic at more than 85 miles per hour before slamming into a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. Investigators recovered no evidence of braking in the two seconds before impact. His blood alcohol content clocked in at over .20—more than twice the legal limit—sealing his fate as a menace behind the wheel.
The victims, both members of the Navajo Indian Nation, were killed instantly in the fiery collision. Authorities on the scene described mangled steel and scattered debris, evidence of the catastrophic force unleashed by Haskan’s out-of-control pickup. No other vehicles were involved—just one man’s decision to drive drunk and fast, ending two lives in an instant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Department of Law Enforcement led the investigation, piecing together toxicology reports, speed estimates, and skid analysis to build an ironclad case. There would be no trial—Haskan admitted guilt early, facing the weight of federal prosecution in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon K. Sexton, who prosecuted the case, called the crash a preventable tragedy fueled by arrogance and intoxication. “This wasn’t an accident,” she said in a statement. “This was a deadly choice made by a man who believed the rules didn’t apply to him. Two families are shattered because of it.”
Haskan will serve his full 240-month sentence in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Case number CR-16-8092-PCT-SPL. Release number 2017-005_Hasken. For updates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, can be followed on Twitter @USAO_AZ or visited online at justice.gov/usao/az.
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Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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