PHOENIX  – Leon Andrew Small, 29, of Pinon, Ariz., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg to 51 months in prison for killing a 21-year-old member of the Navajo Nation and for seriously injuring two juvenile victims, also members of the Navajo Nation.  On September 16, 2009, Small pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter and two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

In June 2008, Small was driving a vehicle northbound on US 191 near Chinle, Ariz.  Traveling at a high rate of speed, he crossed over the median to his left and collided into an oncoming southbound vehicle driven by one of the victims.  The front seat passenger in Small’s vehicle died of multiple blunt force injuries resulting from the crash.  The driver of the other vehicle and her five children who were passengers, suffered serious injuries. Small’s blood alcohol level was in excess of .20 at the time of the crash, much higher than the Arizona legal limit of .08.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Department of Public Safety, the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the Chinle Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:    CR-09-8048-PCT-JAT     

RELEASE NUMBER: 2009- 383(Small)