A Navy soldier who was imprisoned by Japan after being involved in a fatal car accident has been released for the first time in about 18 months.
While working at a Japanese naval base in 2021, Lieutenant Ridge Arconis fell asleep behind the wheel of his car and struck three pedestrians, killing two of them. After receiving what some considered harsh punishment by Japanese authorities, Alconis was released by a U.S. circuit board on Friday morning and reunited with his wife and three children in California. according to CNN's Jake Tapper.
“After 537 days of unnecessary detention, this morning the U.S. Parole Board ordered the immediate release of Lt. Ridge Alconis,” the Alconis family said. Said Mr. Tapper said in a statement. “He is now back home with his family. We will have more to say as time goes on, but for now we are focused on welcoming Ridge home and respectfully… I respect your privacy.”
Alconis was transferred from Japanese custody to the United States in mid-December and was serving his sentence at a federal prison in Los Angeles, California. according to On CNN. The soldier was granted full parole by the United States on Friday morning, but was without any supervision at the time of his release. (Related article: Sen. Mike Lee slams key global allies on Senate floor for 'unjustly' imprisoning Navy lieutenant)
https://t.co/MXHKeJn4Nq pic.twitter.com/rOHpW3y8cY
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 12, 2024
The soldier was found guilty of negligent driving in 2022 after failing to stop his car when he felt “drowsy.” according to In the New York Times. Alconis was serving a three-year sentence.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, was a vocal critic of the Japanese military's treatment of Alconis, arguing that the soldier did not receive typical treatment while in custody. Alconis was reportedly kept in solitary confinement after the car accident and was not taken to the hospital.
Lee I was demanded to Alkonis was released to the United States to continue the remainder of his sentence, where he threatened Japanese officials if Japan did not renegotiate the Status of Forces Agreement. The senator praised Alconis' release: statement on X (formerly Twitter).
“Finally, Lieutenant Ridge Arconis has been released! He was unjustly imprisoned for 537 days based on a Japanese conviction in a Japanese court,” Lee wrote. “No civilized country should jail a person for a tragic car accident caused by an unforeseen medical emergency. I'm glad he's home!”
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