White Lightning Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter

BISMARCK - United States Attorney Drew H. Wrigley announced that on July 9, 2007, Shalako White Lightning, 23, of Mobridge, SD, was sentenced for involuntary manslaughter to 40 months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, $11,249 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment by Senior Judge Patrick A. Conmy in United States District Court, Bismarck, ND.

White Lightning was the driver of a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee involved in a single vehicle rollover on Highway 1806 approximately three miles north of the Prairie Knights Casino on December 28, 2006. A 15- year-old Bismarck male was killed as a result of injuries sustained during the rollover. Two other adult male passengers received non-lethal injuries. White Lightning was traveling from Fort Yates, ND, to Solen, ND, to locate a person to purchase more alcohol for the group. White Lightning’s blood-alcohol concentration was determined to be 0.14% approximately two hours after the rollover.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs - Standing Rock Agency, and the ND Highway Patrol.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Volk prosecuted the case.

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