A woman from Polacca, Arizona, was sentenced to over four years in federal prison after being convicted of drunk driving that resulted in the death of her 14-year-old son. U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine announced the sentencing, which took place on February 17, 2026.
Marian Marsha Josytewa, age 40, received a sentence of 51 months in prison and an additional three years of supervised release from U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan. A federal jury found Josytewa guilty in August 2025 on several charges: involuntary manslaughter, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, two counts of child abuse, and driving under the influence.
The incident occurred on December 10, 2021. According to court records, Josytewa drank several beers before picking up her two teenage sons from school in Flagstaff and attempted to drive them back to the Hopi Indian Reservation. While traveling on a highway within 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. Subsequent blood tests indicated Josytewa’s blood alcohol concentration was about .113.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Phoenix Field Office (Flagstaff), Navajo Nation Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, and Navajo County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
