ALBUQUERQUE – A Pigeon Springs man was sentenced to 3 years’ probation for his role in a fatal drunk driving crash that claimed the life of a passenger.

According to court documents, on September 22, 2024, Irvin Virgil Wauneka, Jr., 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol after consuming alcohol and falling asleep at the wheel. Jane Doe was a passenger in the vehicle. Wauneka’s impaired driving resulted in a head-on collision with another vehicle. Jane Doe suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The passengers in the other vehicle survived with injuries and will receive restitution.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting this case.