Ridge Alkonis
Ridge Alkonis | |
|---|---|
Alkonis in 2015 | |
| Birth name | Ridge Alkonis |
| Born | 1988 (age 37–38) United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Service years | 12.5 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Spouse | Brittany Alkonis |
| Criminal information | |
| Criminal status | Unconditionally released on January 12, 2024 |
| Convictions | Negligent driving resulting in death and injury |
| Criminal penalty | 1 year in prison |
| Details | |
| Date | May 29, 2021 |
| Locations | Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Killed | 2 |
| Injured | 3 |
Ridge Hannemann Alkonis (born 1988) is a former United States Navy lieutenant whose imprisonment in Japan became a political issue. In 2021, Alkonis was involved in a vehicle accident that left two others dead. He was convicted of negligent driving and sentenced to three years in prison, with the judgement being upheld upon appeal. The Biden administration worked diplomatically to free him, and several members of the United States Congress criticized the Japanese justice system. After only a year of imprisonment in Japan, Alkonis was transferred to US custody and paroled unconditionally shortly after.
The Alkonis case strained bilateral ties between the United States and Japan.