Amy Senser hit-and-run charges coming today [UPDATE]

By Mike Mullen Thu., Sep. 15 2011 at 10:33 AM

Categories: Crime

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Amy Senser will face charges from the Hennepin County Attorney today.

Amy Senser has had a few weeks to walk around free since admitting that she was the driver of the Mercedes SUV that killed Anousone Phanthavong. Now, after weeks of outcry over Senser's not being arrested or charged with a crime, she'll finally have to face justice.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman is holding a press conference at 1:30 p.m. today to announce charges in the August 23 hit-and-run. After ten days of speculation, Senser admitted to being the driver that night.

There's no word yet on what charges are coming, but there are some clues for what to expect.

Yesterday, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office determined that Phanthavong's death was "accidental," but serious charges could still be on the way: According to early reports in the case, investigators found the cap from a Mike's Hard Lemonade inside the car.

Senser might also be facing something in regards to her driving away from the scene of the crime. Jim Schwebel, an attorney for the Phanthavong family who is handling their wrongful death case against the Sensers, did not know if Anousone could have been saved with immediate treatment, but described his condition as "dead or dying" after the accident.

UPDATE: Senser has been charged with felony criminal vehicular operation, the Star Tribune reports. A warrant has been issued for her arrest.

SECOND UPDATE: Amy Senser has turned herself in, and is being processed for her criminal charge, according to Marsh Halberg, an attorney retained by the Sensers. Halberg said criminal vehicular operation is the charge that the Senser's lawyers had expected, but said he hadn't yet seen the complaint. Eric Nelson, the lead attorney for the Sensers, will hold a press conference following Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman's press conference today to discuss the charges.

Previously:

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You should read a book about White privilege.
so -- aren't there any new things happening with ms sensor? b Is she running around like nothing happened? will she ever be held responsible for killing a person?
Andrea all I stated is what makes sense if you want to get to the bottom of what took place. You have a right to feel and think what you want but the public doesn't like seeing anyone do what she has admitted to or see how she handled it. You say not to be so quick to judge. then let me ask you this. If she didn;t turn herself in right away, stay at the accident and call for help and now has admitted that she was driving then how have I or ya'all be so quick to judge? I'm only stating what in part needs to be done to determine this and with her admission in which she not ya'all is stating that she's guilty I and ya'all have done nothing to judge her at all, she's help us herself and left us with no other choice but to believe that she caused his death. What part of I was the one driving the car that hit and killed this man along with her action don;t you understand? You may think your doing her a service by trying to protect her and her family by trying to mellow public opinion but you know it's not right. the best thing you can say and do is nothing at all. She admitted she was driving. if it were your family member you won;t be responding to me in the fashion you did. Amy was wrong for handling the situation the way she did period.
VERY, VERY SAD SITUATION ALL THE WAY AROUND. I DID SEE THE "HANGING JUDGE" PATRICIA KERR~KERASOV GOT AHOLD OF THE CASE, AND OH BOY IS HER ATT. GOING TO HAVE A FIGHT. THIS JUDGE IS NOTORIOUS FOR THROWING THE BOOK AT DRUNKS, ESP. WOMEN..... THE SENSORS ARE A VERY KIND AND GENEROUS FAMILY SO YA'ALL DON'T BE SO QUICK TO JUDGE UNTIL THE FACTS COME OUT....... TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, PRAYERS TO BOTH FAMILIES.....
Leaving the scene of the accident only happens for a few reasons. I would like to know how soon after the accident took place that the phone call was made to their attorney. There needs to be a look into the Sensors cell phone tower hits, credit card charges and a time line of all their movements for at least 6 hours before the accident took place. Everyone should also stop going to their resturants unless you want to help pay for their defence attorney. If the facts can be focused on they should be able to get a conviction of some kind.
Yeah it's like she gets rewarded for leaving drunk so as not to get a DWI. Not only did she not get that, but no manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident. She will likely do this again since she's not being held accountable. I don't know her but i don't like her one bit.
Amy Senser was my lunch lady... it's so scary to think that she served me food in my old school, and then 5 years later killed someone in a drunk driving accident, and didnt call the cops... i just can't get over it.
There are too many people scrutinizing the case for it to be anything else.
I love how when Todd Stone (Biz editor at the Strib) tweeted the news that she'd been charged, he prefaced it with "Not the kind of case you want to report." Interesting, because if it was an Asian man who'd hit/run and killed a rich white wife of a celebrity... the press would be ALL OVER reporting that the murderer had been brought to justice.This whole thing makes me sick.
Bet she was drunk.
She hit a man and left him to die. I hope they throw the book at her selfish ass!!
While it's certainly possible that your hypothesis is correct, it's also thoroughly possible that investigators wanted to be CERTAIN it was her driving. If it had actually been someone else and Amy was "sacrificing" herself to protect her husband or one of her children, the cases against them would be weakened by the police having previously made charges against an "innocent person". I'm not standing up for anyone here, but I want to point out that investigators may have actually been MORE suspicious of Amy Senser than even the most vociferous STrib commenter.
So what about manslaughter and fleeing the scene of an accident. Those better get thrown in there.
I hope you're right, because I find the alternative disgusting.
State cops wanted to make sure to dot their "i's" and cross their "t's". They know that their case is going to be picked apart by whatever group of hot shit lawyer her husband hires and didn't want to make some stupid mistake and blow it.
What if, it was Amy or Joe Sensor died by the hands of a hit and run driver?? Guess who would have been in jail awaiting for amended charges of leaving the scene. Similar hit and run fatality in Prior Lake Armando Velasquez, 20, of Faribault was sentenced to 57 months in prison by Dakota County District Court Judge Timothy McManus Friday in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that killed a 32-year-old Prior Lake man at the Event Center parking lot in Burnsville on April 5. Velasquez was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determinedRead more: Shakopee Valley News - Man gets nearly 5 years in hit and run death
Finally. Why it took so long to arrest a person who admitted to hitting someone with their vehicle and fleeing the scene, I'll never understand. Wait, she was married to a local sports star/celebrity? Well, I guess that explains it.