On August 13, a federal jury found Marian Marsha Josytewa, 40, of Polacca, Arizona, guilty on several charges related to a fatal car crash that killed one of her children. The verdict was delivered after a six-day trial in front of United States District Court Judge Steven P. Logan. Sentencing is set for November 3, 2025.
The incident occurred on December 10, 2021. According to evidence presented at trial, Josytewa drank several beers before picking up her two children from school in Flagstaff and driving back toward the Hopi Tribe homeland on a highway within the Navajo Nation. During the drive, she rolled her car; one son was ejected from the vehicle and died as a result. A blood test performed at a crime lab showed Josytewa had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .113.
Josytewa was convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, two counts of Child Abuse, and Driving Under the Influence. “A conviction for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and not more than three years of supervised release. Involuntary Manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and not more than three years of supervised release. The remaining three convictions include additional penalties that could amount to more than seven years in prison.”
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI Phoenix Division’s Flagstaff office and Navajo Police Department with assistance from state and county law enforcement partners. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case.
