Benson County (trfnews.i234.me) – A tragic and preventable DUI incident has resulted in a 14-year federal prison sentence for a 31-year-old woman from Tokio, North Dakota.
Tierra Lynn Scott was sentenced for involuntary manslaughter and three counts of child neglect, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Fargo. She received the maximum penalty of eight years for the manslaughter charge, plus an additional two years for each child neglect count.
The sentence includes three years of supervised release after imprisonment and restitution for funeral expenses tied to the victim’s death.
The incident occurred on August 17, 2024, when law enforcement responded to a residence in Fort Totten. They found an adult male who had been struck and run over by a vehicle driven by Scott. The man later died.
The investigation revealed that Scott, who had no driver’s license, was driving under the influence of alcohol, was in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and operated the vehicle recklessly—with three young children inside.
“This was an entirely preventable death which was tragically witnessed by others, including children who were in and outside the defendant’s vehicle,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl. “Sadly, in recent years law enforcement has responded to increased incidents of alcohol-impaired driving deaths on the Spirit Lake Reservation.”
The case was handled by the FBI with support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori H. Conroy.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. added, “A man lost his life due to Scott’s negligence, and three minor children were also placed at risk. The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to ensure our community is safe for all, especially for children.”
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.