FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 24, 2007

NEW MEXICO MAN INDICTED BY FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN DENVER ON VEHICULAR HOMICIDE CHARGES ON SOUTHERN UTE RESERVATION

DENVER – Troy A. Eid, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado, in conjunction with the Southern Ute Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol, announced that JAMIE L. WOOD, age 21, of Aztec, New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver January 22, 2007, on two counts of Vehicular Homicide. The charges stem from a November 26, 2006 crash on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation where two people were killed.

According to the indictment, on November 26, 2006, while within the boundaries of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation, the defendant, a non-Indian, operated a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, causing a crash that killed Lorraine Duran and her 8 year old granddaughter Jacklyn Duran. Both victims were members of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

If convicted, WOOD faces not less than 4 years and not more than 12 years in federal prison, and up to a $750,000 fine, for each of the two counts of Vehicular Homicide.

“Drug use and abuse is dangerous, and doubly so when the drug abuser operates a vehicle,” said US Attorney Troy Eid. “The Southern Ute Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol did outstanding work investigating this horrific crash.”

The case was investigated by the Southern Ute Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James Candelaria and US Attorney Troy Eid.

The charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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