A U.S. naval officer jailed in Japan for a car crash that killed two Japanese nationals was released from U.S. custody on Friday.
Lieutenant Ridge Alconis was released a month after returning to the United States to serve time in federal prison. He was ordered released by the U.S. Parole Board. He was being held in Los Angeles.
“This morning, after 537 days of unnecessary detention, the U.S. Parole Board ordered the immediate release of Lt. Ridge Alconis,” his family said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. “He is currently back in his hometown with his family. We'll have more to say as time goes on, but for now, we're focused on welcoming Ridge home and are respectfully asking for privacy.” I respect you.”
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According to his family, Alconis surrendered to Japanese authorities on July 24, 2022 and was detained in Japan and the United States for a total of 537 days.
Images shared by his family on Friday show Alconis being greeted upon his release.
Alconis was released from Japanese custody last month after pleading guilty in May 2021 to causing the death of a woman and her son-in-law through negligent driving. Alconis' family said the incident was an accident. The cause was that he lost consciousness during a trip to Mt. Fuji.
US Navy Lt. Ridge Arconis is pictured with his family after being released from US custody in Los Angeles on Friday. Alconis was jailed in Japan in May 2021 after pleading guilty to causing the deaths of a woman and her son-in-law by negligent driving. (Family of Lieutenant Ridge Arconis)
Japanese prosecutors argued that he fell asleep while feeling drowsy and neglected his duty to stop the car because he was tired.
In December, he was transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons through a Justice Department program that allows prisoners convicted in other countries to be transferred to their home countries.
Lt. Lt. Ridge Arconis greets his family after being released from U.S. custody in Los Angeles. (Family of Lieutenant Ridge Arconis)
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FOX News Digital has reached out to the Navy for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
