A Sanostee man has pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from a fatal drunk-driving crash on the Navajo Nation that killed two people in August 2023.
Leonardo Robbie Duncan, 33, was driving on Navajo Route 36 near Upper Fruitland, New Mexico, which is within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation, on the morning of August 12, 2023.
Duncan was drunk and driving in an unsafe manner when he crossed into on-coming traffic and crashed head-on into the front passenger side of Jane’s vehicle.
Instead of checking on Jane and rendering aid, Duncan fled on foot. Jane died shortly after. When Duncan turned himself in six hours later, he was still intoxicated with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08.
Duncan will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
At sentencing, Duncan faces up to eight years in prison and up to three years of supervised release for his crimes.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jena Ritchey is prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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