A Martin man has been sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a vehicular assault that seriously injured an elderly man on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Jose Jimenez, 40, was sentenced Monday, March 23, by U.S. District Judge Camela Theeler. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury under a plea agreement that dismissed three other assault charges.
According to federal prosecutors, the incident occurred July 24, 2024, when Jimenez was driving 77 mph in a 65‑mph zone and attempted to pass another vehicle in a no‑passing zone, striking a 78‑year‑old man’s truck head‑on causing injuries to the driver and a 66 year old passenger.
Prosecutors said Jimenez discarded a bottle of alcohol after the crash. Police later found both an empty and unopened bottle in his vehicle. Although Jimenez tested positive for alcohol, his blood‑alcohol level was below the legal limit.
At sentencing, Jimenez requested leniency, citing substance abuse issues and saying he was hungover at the time of the crash.
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