A woman from Polacca, Arizona, has been sentenced to 51 months in prison after being convicted of drunk driving and causing the death of her 14-year-old son. The sentencing took place on February 17, 2026, in federal court. U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan also ordered Marian Marsha Josytewa, 40, to serve 36 months of supervised release following her prison term.
In August 2025, a federal jury found Josytewa guilty on several charges: one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, two counts of child abuse, and one count of driving under the influence.
According to court records, the incident occurred on December 10, 2021. Josytewa had consumed several beers before picking up her two teenage sons from school in Flagstaff and attempting to drive them back to the Hopi Indian Reservation. While traveling on a highway through the Navajo Nation Reservation, she lost control of her vehicle and rolled it. Her unbuckled 14-year-old son was ejected from the car and killed as it rolled over him. A blood test conducted at a crime lab revealed that Josytewa’s blood alcohol content was approximately .113.
The investigation was carried out by the FBI Phoenix office in Flagstaff along with the Navajo Nation Police Department. Additional support came from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, and Navajo County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine announced the sentencing.
More information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
