An Arizona man has been sentenced to 40 months in prison after a high-speed drunk driving crash on the Navajo Nation resulted in the deaths of two passengers and left another seriously injured.
Court records state that on November 14, 2024, Marvin Albert Wauneka, age 40 and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, consumed alcohol before going to work. He was reportedly too intoxicated to perform his job duties. Wauneka then went to a Wal-Mart, continued drinking, and later drove with four passengers at speeds between 85 and 100 miles per hour on Navajo Route 54. He lost control of the vehicle, causing a single-vehicle rollover.
Two passengers died at the scene. A third passenger sustained serious injuries but managed to escape from the wreckage. The fourth passenger escaped without significant harm. Upon arriving at the hospital, Wauneka’s blood alcohol content measured .298.
Wauneka had previously been convicted of DWI. In this case, he pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He was earlier convicted for this offense in Navajo Nation Tribal Court and received a sentence of 167 days in custody there. After serving his federal prison term, he will be under supervised release for three years.
“Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.”
The FBI’s Gallup Resident Agency investigated with help from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting.
