Navy officer imprisoned in Japan over deadly car crash freed from US custody, family says

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A U.S. Navy officer previously jailed in Japan over a car crash that killed two Japanese citizens was released from American custody on Friday.

Lt. Ridge Alkonis was released one month after returning to the United States to be placed in a federal prison. He was ordered released by the U.S. Parole Commission. He was being held in Los Angeles. 

“This morning, after 537 days of unnecessary detention, the U.S. Parole Commission ordered Lt. Ridge Alkonis’ immediate release,” his family said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. “He is now back home with his family, where he belongs. We will have more to say in time, but for now, we are focused on welcoming Ridge home and respectfully ask for privacy.”

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  (Alkonis family)

Alkonis surrendered to Japanese authorities on July 24, 2022, and spent a total of 537 days in custody in Japan and the U.S., his family said. 

Images shared by the family on Friday show Alkonis being greeted upon being freed. 

He was released from Japanese custody last month while serving a three-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to the negligent driving deaths of a woman and her son-in-law in May 2021. Alkonis’ family has said the crash was an accident that was caused when he lost consciousness while on a trip to Mount Fuji. 

U.S. Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis is pictured Friday with his family after being freed from U.S. custody in Los Angeles. Alkonis had been jailed in Japan after pleading guilty to the negligent driving deaths of a woman and her son-in-law in May 2021. (Family of Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis)

Japanese prosecutors maintained that he fell asleep while drowsy and shirked a duty to pull over as he became fatigued.

In December, he was transferred into the custody of the Bureau of Prisons through a Justice Department program that permits the relocation of prisoners convicted in another country back to their home nation. 

Lt. Ridge Alkonis greets his family after being freed from U.S. custody in Los Angeles.  (Family of Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis)

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Navy for comment. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.