Ex-Navajo Nation president’s daughter faces DUI charges

The daughter of former Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye has been charged following a drunken driving arrest last spring near Flagstaff.

The Farmington Daily Times in New Mexico reports Friday that Karis Begaye, 42, was charged this month in Flagstaff Justice Court with two counts of felony criminal damage and a felony count of endangerment, along with misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence and extreme DUI.

She was legal counsel for her father on April 22 when Arizona troopers arrested her after her vehicle crashed into a tractor-trailer on Interstate 17.

Russell Begaye ended his presidency Jan. 15 and the Coconino County Attorney’s Office in Flagstaff filed charges against his daughter the next day. A pretrial conference is set for Feb. 12.

Her attorney Bruce Griffen had no comment.