ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A Zuni man faces a federal involuntary manslaughter charge after authorities allege he drove under the influence of alcohol in a June rollover crash that killed a woman and injured two children.
According to federal court documents, Caine Aric Chimoni, 28, was driving a pickup truck June 7 when it rolled onto its side. A woman riding in the vehicle was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.
Two children who were also in the pickup suffered injuries. One was transported to a regional hospital for treatment. Authorities did not release the woman’s identity or provide additional information about the children’s conditions.
Chimoni, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, was taken to a local hospital following the crash. Authorities allege he told officers that he had been driving and may have been under the influence of alcohol.
A blood test showed an alcohol concentration equivalent to 0.162%, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office—more than twice New Mexico’s legal limit of 0.08% for most adult drivers.
Chimoni is charged with involuntary manslaughter and could face up to eight years in prison if convicted.
The FBI’s Gallup Resident Agency investigated the case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting it.
A criminal complaint is an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. Chimoni is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury of his peers.
Editor’s note: The federal announcement contains conflicting information about Chimoni’s custody status. It states both that he “will be released under the supervision of Federal Pretrial Services” and that he “will remain in custody pending trial.” That should be clarified with the U.S. Attorney’s Office before publication.