Lisa Marie Skunkcap of Browning, who admitted she had been drinking when she crashed a truck on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and injured two passengers, was sentenced in federal court in Great Falls on Tuesday.
Skunkcap, 37 years old, pleaded guilty in November to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
U.S. District Judge Brian Morris sentenced her to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release
The prosecution said in court records that the crash happened on the afternoon of April 23, 2019, when Skunkcap and others were drinking and driving around Browning. Skunkcap lost control of the truck she was driving. The vehicle went off the road and rolled. Skunkcap and two passengers were thrown from the vehicle by the force of the crash and lost consciousness.
Court documents state that the crash "happened in front of the offices of the Blackfeet Housing Authority, and was recorded by their video surveillance. Emergency personnel and law enforcement responded to the scene and observed extensive detritus from the crash, including innumerable beer cans littered about."
Skunkcap told investigators that she had been driving and admitted having consumed alcohol. Her blood alcohol concentration was .20 at the time of the crash, more than twice the legal limit for driving.
Both passengers sustained serious injuries, including broken bones. Investigators interviewed the treating doctor at the Browning Emergency Department, who described the injuries as creating a "substantial risk of death." One passenger was transferred to Seattle for treatment.
Skunkcap was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service after being sentenced.
