Ridge Alkonis | |
|---|---|
 Alkonis in 2015 | |
| Birth name | Ridge Alkonis |
| Born | 1988 (age 35–36) United States |
| Service/ |  United States Navy |
| Rank |  Lieutenant |
| Spouse(s) | Brittany Alkonis |
| Criminal status | Unconditionally released on January 12, 2024 |
| Conviction(s) | Negligent driving resulting in death and injury |
| Criminal penalty | 1 year in prison |
| Details | |
| Date | May 29, 2021 |
| Location(s) | Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Killed | 2 |
| Injured | 3 |
Ridge Hannemann Alkonis (born 1988) is a United States Navy lieutenant who caused a fatal car crash in Fujinomiya in May 2021 that resulted in the deaths of two Japanese citizens. A Japanese court found Alkonis, who at the time was a weapons officer aboard the USS Benfold at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, guilty of negligent driving in 2022 and sentenced him to a three-year prison term.[1] After only a year of imprisonment in Japan, Alkonis was transferred to US custody and released unconditionally shortly after.
The Alkonis case has strained bilateral ties between the United States and Japan.[2][3][4]
- ^ "Yokosuka-based officer gets three years in prison for crash that killed two pedestrians". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
- ^ Ives, Mike; Ueno, Hisako (2023-02-21). "Victim or Criminal? A U.S. Navy Officer's Imprisonment in Japan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Japan, U.S. negotiating return of detained Navy officer: sources". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ Fadulu, Lola (2024-01-14). "U.S. Releases Navy Officer Imprisoned After Causing Fatal Crash in Japan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-21.