The family of a US Navy officer imprisoned in Japan after his involvement in a fatal car accident protested outside the White House this week in an attempt to bring president Joe Biden‘s administration’s attention to the case.

Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis is serving a three-year sentence in a Japanese prison after being found responsible for the negligent driving deaths of two Japanese citizens in May 2021 by Japanese courts.

Also Read| Brian Stelter exit: Conservatives rejoice, compare it to Liz Cheney loss

Who is Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis?

Ridge Hanneman Alkonis is a 34-year-old US Naval officer. Alkonis lived with his wife Brittany Alkonis, three children aged 8, 7 and 4 and his parents Suzi and Derek. 

The Navy officer’s began in May 2021, as he was returning from a hike on Mount Fuji with his wife and two children, just days before embarking on deployment aboard the USS Benfold.

Alkonis, lost consciousness behind the wheel and collided with several parked cars, killing an elderly Japanese woman and her son-in-law.

Also Read| Who was Stanley Ramey?

Brittany Alkonis told Fox News that her husband became nauseous and passed out during a conversation with his daughter before the crash. There were no drugs or alcohol in his system, and he was only driving at 25 mph. His lawyers testified in court that he had been diagnosed with acute altitude sickness.

His family agreed to pay $1.65 million and apologise to the victims’ families on the advice of their attorney, who explained that the Japanese custom of expressing regret usually results in a lenient sentence.

However, the judge denied their appeal and sentenced them to three years in prison earlier this year. Last month, Alkonis reported to prison to begin his sentence.

Also Read| Who is Richard Engel?

Ridge Alkonis brought a Bible and the Book of Mormon with him to prison after being convicted of negligent driving in the deaths of an 85-year-old Japanese woman and her 54-year-old son-in-law on May 29, 2021, while the family was driving down Mount Fuji after a day trip, as per Desert News.