Christian Litton

A Cody man has agreed to serve six to 10 years in prison for drunkenly crashing into and seriously injuring two people last summer, plus another four years of probation for abusing a child in 2024.

Christian L. Litton received the sentences at a Feb. 23 hearing in Park County District Court that Judge Bill Simpson described as a “turning point.”

“You can either go forward or you can go back,” Simpson told the 37-year-old, “but I hope to God that you figure this out, and that we have no more innocent victims, no more pain caused, and you realize that you got a lot of work to do.”

Litton told the court that he had been in the throes of an alcohol addiction when he committed the crimes and that he never intended to hurt anyone.

“I sincerely hope that I can find a better way of life through my incarceration,” he said.

Serious crash

Litton has been in custody since July 20, when he turned in front of an oncoming car on U.S. Highway 14A between Powell and Cody. The occupants of the other vehicle — two young adults from Powell — suffered substantial injuries in the ensuing crash while the man’s dog was killed.

At the scene, Litton contended it wasn’t his fault and that he hadn’t drank in two days, charging documents say. However, the Wyoming Highway Patrol concluded that he had obviously caused the crash and appeared impaired; a subsequent test found that Litton’s blood alcohol concentration was at 0.25% — more than three times the legal limit.

Litton ultimately pleaded no contest to two felony counts of driving while under the influence causing serious bodily injury.

According to information presented in court, the young woman in the other vehicle suffered a lacerated spleen and kidney, a broken finger that required a plate and seven screws, a severe concussion and extensive bruising. The injuries made it difficult to continue with her job.

As for the young man, the crash reportedly crushed his left leg, dislocated and shattered his hip socket and fractured a vertebrae. He underwent extensive surgery, with eight screws and two plates, with weeks of severe discomfort and weeks of sleep deprivation.

He said in a letter to the court that the injuries have left him with chronic, daily pain and the likelihood of a future hip replacement.

“Essentially, his injuries will be with him the rest of his life,” Simpson remarked in court. “You go on with your life, you're healthy, you’re fine. He bears the scars.

“I mean, how do you feel about that?” the judge asked Litton.

“Obviously, it's a very heavy burden that I’ve [spent] a lot of time thinking about,” Litton responded. “It’s hard for me to really even imagine just enjoying a normal life and something like this happens, so obviously it’s very shocking and detrimental.”

He also offered an apology to the couple, saying he was sorry for any pain he caused them and for the death of the dog.

“I hope they can heal spiritually and physically,” Litton said.

He told the court that he was “well aware” he had a problem with alcohol at the time.

Court records say Litton drove drunk and nearly caused a crash in 2022 and in January 2025, he crashed into a fence and tree before leaving the scene; he was on probation for that hit-and-run when he collided with the Powell couple — and was out on bond on a felony count of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

Child abuse

Charging documents say that in the summer of 2024, Litton drunkenly fondled a young girl in a brief and reportedly accidental incident.

As part of a plea deal that had the support of the victim, Park County prosecutors amended the original sexual abuse charge to one of child abuse. Litton specifically admitted in court that his “unintentional physical contact” with the girl caused mental injury — including anguish, stress, anxiety and grief.

The girl didn’t participate in the hearing, with Park County Victim/Witness Coordinator Michelle Horn relaying that “she just wants to move on and get past this.”

Litton’s attorney, Brigita Krisjansons, called it a tragic case and said she hopes her client can enter addiction treatment in prison.

“It is my sincere hope and belief that when Mr. Linton is able to come back into the community, that he will have much better tools for which to be a part of the community,” she said, “and I know that he’s truly sorry and embarrassed by everything else that has happened in this case.”

During his years on probation — which will follow the prison time — Litton will be barred from having any contact with the girl. If he violates that or any other probation condition, including one that prohibits him from drinking alcohol, another six to 10 years of prison time could be imposed.

Six figure restitution?

As he closed out the more than hour-long hearing, Judge Simpson encouraged Litton to “do some good in this world and try to make up for what’s happened.”

However, the proceedings may not be entirely over: The parties indicate they may need a later hearing to sort out how much Litton owes in restitution to the young adults he injured in the crash. They’ve requested $102,394.02, but Litton’s attorney in that case, Tim Blatt, said some of that amount may be more appropriately addressed in a civil proceeding or by Litton’s auto insurer. A hearing is set for April 6.

Regardless of how the restitution ends up, Litton must also pay $4,650 to the court in fines, fees and assessments.

(Editor's note: This version corrects Litton's prison sentence. He received two consecutive three- to five-year prison sentences in connection with the crash, not a single three- to five-year sentence.)