Lame Deer man sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter

BILLINGS - A Lame Deer man who ran over an acquaintance after a night of drinking was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.

Kristopher Aiden Blackwolf, 36, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to involuntary manslaughter.

U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.

The government alleged in court documents that Blackwolf spent a night drinking with friends and, while still intoxicated, ran over and killed one of his companions.

Law enforcement first responded after hearing reports the next morning of a man lying unresponsive in a driveway. Blackwolf had called the victim's nephew earlier that morning, saying he'd just come from the victim's house where he saw him lying on the ground outside. Blackwolf told the nephew he didn't know if the victim was alive. A medical examiner later ruled that the man had died from multiple blunt force traumas.

Officers contacted Blackwolf later that day after his mother called authorities. They found Blackwolf sitting in the driver's seat of his minivan, still intoxicated, and crying. After a medical evaluation, officers interviewed Blackwolf and learned that he had gone out the night before with the victim and another friend, all sharing a gallon of vodka they'd purchased in Colstrip. Blackwolf told officers he had returned home around 6:30 a.m. and, after eating, he fell asleep. At some point later in the morning, Blackwolf realized that he had reversed his van into the victim and run him over.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The FBI and the BIA conducted the investigation.