A US naval
officer has been jailed in Japan for his involvement in a fatal car accident
that killed two people. The officer, Navy Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis is serving
a three-year jail term after Japanese courts found him responsible for the negligent
driving deaths of two Japanese citizens in May last year, PEOPLE reported.

Naval
officer Alkonis argued he suffered a medical episode – later diagnosed as
mountain sickness – as he was driving with his family in Japan. The condition
caused him to fall unconscious behind the wheel leading to a crash which killed
an 85-year-old woman and her 54-year-old son-in-law. Japanese authorities say
Alkonis fell asleep while driving which caused the crash.

After
Alkonis’ sentence was upheld in July and subsequently on appeal on Wednesday,
his family marched outside the White House calling on the Biden administration to
do more.

“The DOD
(Department Of Defence) has abandoned by husband, but as an officer, my husband
serves at the pleasure of the president, and so I think it is appropriate for
him to step in and bring him home,” said Brittany Alkonis, wife of Lt. Ridge Alkonis, speaking to Fox News.

Brittany Alkonis
told CNN that she and her husband had offered the victims’ family a settlement
of $1 million, as is customary, which was turned down. “The reason we think it’s
unfair is because his Japanese attorney said that people have been in
situations like his that have made a complete settlement – 0% of them have gone
to prison,” she said.

“Our
settlement, well, settlements in general, are very important. They’re a very
important part of the Japanese judicial system. The one we made was incredibly
large,” Brittany Alkonis added.

She said
her husband had not been granted phone privileges and that she has only been
able to meet him once since his imprisonment. She said she is worried when her
husband’s leaves run out. “Once Ridge’s leave runs out, we are left without
pay, without benefits,” Brittany told Fox, adding, “My kids have no idea where
they’ll be receiving medical care, and whether or not they will be able to see
him during the next three years.”