Amy Senser is the wife of former Minnesota Vikings TE Joe Senser. She's also an irresponsible driver/human who faces a felony charge for driving the Mercedes SUV which struck and killed 38-year-old Anousone Phanthavong on Aug. 23.
The incident occurred within walking distance of a hospital ER, but the Mercedes SUV did not stop at the scene to render, or call, for aid. She's charged with criminal vehicular homicide operation and gave a statement to police on Sept. 2 that, "I, Amy Senser, was the driver of the vehicle in the accident in which [Phanthavong] lost his life."
Senser was in court yesterday, with her loving husband at her side. So was Phanthavong's sister, who couldn't even look at the "driver of the vehicle in the accident in which [Phanthavong] lost his life." Why? Likely because Senser now claims she didn't know she hit somebody, despite knocking a headlight out, having blood on the hood of her car and leaving pieces of the SUV behind at the scene.
Amy Senser will base her defense against a criminal vehicular homicide charge on a recent Minnesota Supreme Court reversal of a man's conviction on the same charge because the state failed to prove that he knew he struck and killed a man changing a tire when he left the scene, her attorney said Friday.
The Supreme Court's 2010 decision in the case of Mohammed Al-Naseer effectively means that prosecutors must now prove criminal intent by drivers who leave the scene of accidents, said Eric Nelson, who is defending Senser.
Nelson has maintained that Senser did not know she hit Anousone Phanthavong, 38, on Aug. 23 as he filled his car with gas.
Oh. Ok. The old "Ignorance of the crime committed" defense. Good stuff.
Here's what Jim Schwebel, attorney for the Phanthavong family which has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Senser, had to say afterward:
"The Sensers have failed to cooperate with this investigation. We have no information as to whether this crime involved drugs or alcohol. We have no information as to why Amy Senser chose to flee the scene — whether she was alone or with someone else that evening. We will continue an ongoing investigation until we know all the answers to these questions."
In a similar case from 1998, the wife of a Philadelphia Eagles executive pleaded guilty to leaving the scene in a fatal hit-and-run that left 29-year-old Robert Hoagland dead. He was changing a flat tire along a South Jersey interstate when the woman struck him, fled and disposed of evidence. Karen Jill Howard was sentenced to a year in prison, but able to apply for parole after four months.
Amy Senser's defense pinned on 2010 ruling [Star Tribune]
Amy Senser Makes First Court Appearance in Hit-and-Run Case [KAAL]
The other side of the Senser story [Star Tribune]
Joe Senser: 'In Due Time, You'll Hear From Me' [FoxTwinCities]
Remembering Ped [Anna's True Thai News]
If the Game is on – it's on at Senser's! [Joe Senser's Sports Theater]