Attorney: Amy Senser Driving SUV In Fatal Hit-And-Run
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Amy Senser, the wife of former Minnesota Vikings player Joe Senser, was driving the SUV in a hit-and-run that killed a 38-year-old man in Minneapolis, according to the family's attorney.
Anousone Phanthavong was killed Aug. 23 while he was filling his car with gas on the off-ramp of the Cedar-Riverside exit of westbound Interstate 94.
The State Patrol said the Mercedes-Benz SUV that ran into Phanthavong belongs to former Minnesota Vikings tight end and local businessman Joe Senser.
Within 24 hours of the crash, an attorney for the Senser family led officers to the gold 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350. Investigators noted front-end damage on the passenger side, including on the fender, and what looked like blood on the hood.
The vehicle was taken to the Hennepin County Crime Lab and a search turned up a bobby pin, a set of earrings, a bottle as well as a Mike's bottle cap inside the vehicle.
The Sensers' attorney confirmed the vehicle is owned by Senser, but, until now, did not say who may have been driving, but he says the Senser family turned the car over to the Minnesota State Patrol within 24 hours of the accident.
"So from the very beginning, by turning in that vehicle, they have demonstrated the integrity of the family by providing that information. They could have taken so many steps to conceal that vehicle, to hide it, to burn it, whatever they could have done, but again they did the right thing," said Senser's attorney, Eric Nelson of Halberg Criminal Defense in Bloomington.
Nelson says the state must now prove that Senser was the driver, and that she knew she hit Phanthavong.
"This is a traumatic event for everybody involved, everybody, and Mrs. Senser is having a hard time as to be expected. She grieves for the loss of this man for his family," Nelson said. "It was never intended to be a lack of cooperation or anything other than let's make sure every t is crossed or i is dotted."
Phanthavong's family said they intend to file a civil lawsuit as early as next week.
Chuck Whitney, the owner of the True Thai Restaurant where Phanthavong was head chef, says he has another definition of right and wrong.
"It's got to be tragic for them as much as it is my cook's family. I find it very sad they didn't come forward sooner," Whitney said. "It's very easy to try and spin it as if you are cooperating, but really the human part of it is, she didn't, when it was really needed when she should have stopped and made a call. With the hospital one block away, things might have been different."
Senser's attorney says charges could range from a minor traffic offense to criminal vehicular homicide for leaving the scene of a death accident, and could be filed as early as Tuesday. If so, he says, Senser would voluntarily surrender to authorities.
