{KXLG – McLaughlin, SD} A McLaughlin man has been sentenced to prison for a DUI hit-and-run crash that left one pedestrian seriously injured on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, announced today by U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell.
Jerry Bruce Petersen, 69, received a one-year and one-day federal prison sentence from U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on July 8, 2024. Petersen was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Petersen pleaded guilty on November 13, 2023, to an indictment charging him with Vehicular Battery. According to court documents, on January 28, 2023, Petersen was driving his F-150 truck while under the influence of alcohol when he struck three pedestrians on South Dakota Highway 63 near McLaughlin. Petersen’s blood alcohol content (BAC) was measured at 0.13, which is above the legal limit of 0.08. One of the pedestrians suffered life-threatening injuries and required airlift to a hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota.
The Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation falls under federal jurisdiction, allowing the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute the case under the General Crimes Act. The Bureau of Indian Affairs—Office of Justice Services investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted it.
This sentence reflects the seriousness of DUI offenses and the potential for tragic consequences. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to pursuing federal charges against those who commit violent crimes on tribal lands.
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