A Shiprock woman has pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury after driving under the influence and causing a crash that severely injured two children on the Navajo Nation.
Jazmyne Deschinny, 22, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was driving a sedan carrying eight people within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation on April 23, 2023.
Deschinny was heavily intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level of 0.264, which is more than three times the legal limit in New Mexico. She also had opiates and cannabinoids in her system at the time of the incident.
The crash occurred when Deschinny ran a red light and collided with a flatbed trailer being towed by a truck. The sedan was overcrowded with three adults and five children, and there were insufficient seatbelts and car seats to properly secure all occupants. As a result, two unsecured minors suffered severe injuries.
One of the minors, who was not named, sustained a life-threatening head injury, including subdural hematomas, a fractured skull, and bleeding within the brain structure. The child’s condition was so critical that they nearly died during the emergency flight to the University of New Mexico Hospital. They required weeks of hospitalization for treatment.
Another minor, who was not named, suffered multiple facial fractures, a fractured wrist, and facial lacerations that required surgical repair. They were hospitalized for several days following the incident.
According to the plea agreement, Deschinny faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing followed by three years of supervised release.
Related Federal Cases
- Vernon Poleahla, Involuntary Manslaughter, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, New Mexico 2018 · Puerto Rico
- Randall Farnham, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury of a Child under 18 in Indian Country, New Mexico 2011 · Puerto Rico
- Kyle Kee, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, New Mexico 2025 · Alabama
- Waneka Rosebud Cornpeach, Assault with a dangerous weapon and Assault resulting in serious bodily injury, Utah 2022 · California
- Philman Sam Pike, Assault by Strangling or Suffocating and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, New Mexico 2025 · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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