A Shiprock woman was arraigned Thursday, April 27, during a preliminary and detention hearing in federal court.
Courtney Frank, 19, pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge and an assault resulting in serious bodily injury charge in connection with a drunken driving crash Sept. 28, 2022.
Frank reportedly drove drunk “without due caution and circumspection and with a wanton and reckless disregard for human life when she knew and should have known that her conduct imperiled the lives of others” on a farm road in a remote area of the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, according to the indictment.
Frank reportedly crashed her car head-on into another car driven by a mother, whose son was a passenger. The mother was killed, and the son suffered serious injury.
If convicted, Frank could face up to 10 years in prison. She was released from custody, while awaiting her trial.
