A court hearing for Amy Senser, accused of a felony in the August hit-and-run death of a popular Minneapolis chef, has been pushed to next month while investigators continue accident reconstruction, her attorney said Tuesday.
She is expected to formally enter a not-guilty plea at the Jan. 12 hearing, said her attorney, Eric Nelson. The switch from Dec. 14 was the second continuance. An October hearing was also rescheduled because of the investigation.
Senser, 45, was charged with felony criminal vehicular homicide in the Aug. 23 death of Anousone Phanthavong, 38. She is accused of hitting him as he put gas in his car on the Interstate 94 ramp at Riverside Avenue just east of downtown Minneapolis. Phanthavong was a chef at True Thai restaurant.
She was charged Sept. 15, but the complaint shed little light on what happened before or after the crash. She has appeared in court once, the day after she was charged.
Senser, wife of former Minnesota Vikings star Joe Senser, maintains she didn't know she struck Phanthavong and left the scene. The next day, investigators were directed to a Mercedes SUV at the Sensers' Edina home that was damaged and had blood on the hood.
Several days later, Amy Senser said she was behind the wheel of the vehicle. She has since invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to speak with investigators.
A judge ordered that proceedings in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Phanthavong's family must remain on hold until at least Feb. 6.
Hennepin County District Judge Bruce Peterson ordered that neither side may gather evidence in the civil case while the criminal investigation continues.
ABBY SIMONS
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