A Navy officer who has been serving a prison sentence in Japan over a car crash that killed two people has been transferred into U.S. custody and is being returned to the United States.

Lt. Ridge Alkonis — who is on his way home, a representative for the family confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Thursday morning — had been serving a three-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to the negligent driving deaths of two Japanese civilians in May 2021.

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“After 507 days, Lt. Ridge Alkonis is on his way home to the United States. We are encouraged by Ridge’s transfer back to the United States but cannot celebrate until Ridge has been reunited with his family,” the family said in a statement to the Associated Press. “We appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Government to effect this transfer and are glad that an impartial set of judiciary eyes will review his case for the first time.”

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Alkonis, who was a weapons officer in Yokosuka on the USS Benfold, was driving on May 29, 2021, about two hours from Yokosuka Naval Base when he hit pedestrians and parked cars outside a restaurant after he lost consciousness after suffering acute mountain sickness. Japanese prosecutors claimed he fell asleep behind the wheel.

The crash resulted in the deaths of an 85-year-old woman and her 54-year-old son-in-law, who died days later. Alkonis was indicted on a charge of negligent driving, resulting in death, and was sentenced to three years in prison.