North Dakota Man Receives 19-Year Sentence for Drunk Driving Fatalities

MINOT, ND—Acting United States Attorney Lynn C. Jordheim announced that on October 27, 2009, Randolph Lone Fight, 57, of Mandaree, North Dakota, was sentenced before United States District Court Chief Judge Daniel L. Hovland on three counts of involuntary manslaughter resulting from a drunk driving motor vehicle crash on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in October 2008. Chief Judge Hovland ordered Lone Fight to serve 19 years and three months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Lone Fight was also ordered to pay $300 in special assessments to the Crime Victim's Fund and restitution of $1,085.

The incident occurred on October 17, 2008, on Highway 23 west of New Town. Lone Fight was driving a van westbound. Lone Fight passed a slower vehicle on the roadway at a high rate of speed, in a no-passing zone. Lone Fight’s vehicle collided head-on with an eastbound vehicle driven by a 17-year-old female and carrying her 6-month-old child and a 47-year-old female. All three were killed. Lone Fight was intoxicated and would later be found to have a blood alcohol concentration of .15 percent. Lone Fight had two passengers in his vehicle, both of whom were injured.

Chief Judge Hovland noted that the sentence was being imposed based upon the factual circumstances of the case, Lone Fight’s extensive criminal history which included a DUI conviction in tribal court approximately three weeks prior to the event, and Lone Fight’s continued abuse of alcohol despite Lone Fight’s participation in 17 or 18 prior inpatient treatment programs.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, North Dakota Highway Patrol, Three Affiliated Tribes Police Department and McKenzie County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Rick Volk prosecuted the case.

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