PHOENIX — A 40-year-old Arizona woman has been convicted by a federal jury in connection with a fatal drunk driving crash that killed one of her children and seriously injured another, officials confirmed Friday.
Marian Marsha Josytewa was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, two counts of child abuse, and driving under the influence after a six-day trial, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
The charges stem from a December 10, 2021 crash, when Josytewa picked up her two children from school in Flagstaff after drinking several beers. On the drive back toward the Hopi Tribe homeland, her vehicle rolled over on a highway within the Navajo Nation.
One of her sons was ejected from the car and died at the scene. Her blood alcohol concentration later tested at 0.113, well above Arizona’s legal limit of 0.08.
The convictions carry significant potential penalties. Involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum of eight years in prison, while assault resulting in serious bodily injury carries up to 10 years. Combined with the child abuse and DUI convictions, Josytewa could face well over 20 years in prison, along with fines that may reach $250,000 per charge and terms of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2025 in federal court.
