Driver accused of drunken hit-and-run in Champlin woman's death

As the Champlin mother of two lay dying on the highway pavement, the man driving the car that struck her took off.

[Get a clue]

They both belong is prison. At least Buessman's dad has some compassion for the family. His son and girlfriend did not. God bless her family.

[drew15]

"He was scared and drunk" Boo hoo, you piece of human garbage. A woman is dead due to your negligence. At least have the intestinal fortitude to stand up and take your rightly deserved lumps.

[Gal Friday]

I think I need to quit reading these stories.

[LYNN A]

I wonder why the victim was walking by the highway at 12:30 am? Just curious. I also did not know that a passenger of a drunk driver could get tagged with a DWI. That's interesting and about time
that came into effect. My condolences to the family, and to the drunk driver, unless you are a monster ,this will live with you forever, alot longer than just how long the ticket and offense stay on your record. That's a tough price to pay for a night of drinking at the bar. I won't say I hope it was worth it, because I know better but, but I will say that I hope you learn from it and do some good for the cause of victims and their families, even if it is behind bars. That too, goes for the passenger of the drunk dirver, The other drunk driver, Whitney.

[DMoney]

LYNN A,

If you read the article it states that the two occupants of the car switched seats so the 23 year old woman was driving at one point..... Hence why they both got DWI's.

[Deb]

The woman was the mother of two teenagers who were former students at Champlin Elementary. All our prayers go out to the kids and extended family at this terrible time.

From my understanding, the mom was with a group of people crossing at the crosswalk with the light when she was struck. They had been out for dinner after the Father Hennepin Days Festival and Fireworks.

I sincerely hope both the driver and passenger receive the full sentence. I was stuck by a drunk driver almost two years ago and the guy got off on a legal technicality that claims the breathalizer test is not valid!

Even the most severe sentence will not undo the choices the driver made, or return that mom to her kids.

[DizzyOne]

LYNN A wrote:

I wonder why the victim was walking by the highway at 12:30 am? Just curious. I also did not know that a passenger of a drunk driver could get tagged with a DWI. That's interesting and about time
that came into effect. My condolences to the family, and to the drunk driver, unless you are a monster ,this will live with you forever, alot longer than just how long the ticket and offense stay on your record. That's a tough price to pay for a night of drinking at the bar. I won't say I hope it was worth it, because I know better but, but I will say that I hope you learn from it and do some good for the cause of victims and their families, even if it is behind bars. That too, goes for the passenger of the drunk dirver, The other drunk driver, Whitney.

You need to read the article again. She got the DWI because they switched drivers and she was more blotto than he was.

[LYNN A]

OH, OK. I DID GO BACK AND REREAD THAT. EXCUSE ME. BUT TOO BAD THAT DRUNK PASSENGERS OF DRUNK DRIVERS DON'T GET THE DWI'S. THAT MIGHT CHANGE SOME THINGS.

DMoney wrote:

LYNN A,
If you read the article it states that the two occupants of the car switched seats so the 23 year old woman was driving at one point..... Hence why they both got DWI's.

[-Twins-Fan-]

LYNN A wrote:

I wonder why the victim was walking by the highway at 12:30 am? Just curious. I also did not know that a passenger of a drunk driver could get tagged with a DWI. That's interesting and about time
that came into effect. My condolences to the family, and to the drunk driver, unless you are a monster ,this will live with you forever, alot longer than just how long the ticket and offense stay on your record. That's a tough price to pay for a night of drinking at the bar. I won't say I hope it was worth it, because I know better but, but I will say that I hope you learn from it and do some good for the cause of victims and their families, even if it is behind bars. That too, goes for the passenger of the drunk dirver, The other drunk driver, Whitney.

Just to inform you, Solberg was walking in the crosswalk when she was hit. Whitney got tagged with a DUI and abetting because after they fled the scene, down the road the driver and Whitney switched seats. Whitney was driving as well. She was helping the driver. Hope that helps.

[LYNN A]

Ok everybody, like I said I went back and reread the article and found I had skipped a whole paragraph. Forgive me for being, uhh I dunno, stupid or whatever you might think. i know she was hit in the crosswalk. And now I know that the two DRUNK drivers switched seats during there escapade and that they Both got DWI OR DUI'S OK?

[Joe Rauzi]

As a friend of the Solberg family, I am shocked and dismayed by the actions of these two. To leave the scene shows the moral fiber of the driver. To be followed and notified of the accident and flee again shows a total lack of morals. There is no amount of jail time that is going to help her children but I would hope that a maximum sentence would be a given.

I do not consider this an accident but rather, a consequence of a terrible decision. Now they will have to live with having killed a very special woman. If I were able to impose a sentence on them it would be to have them replay over and over the funeral for Heather on Wednesday.

I hope that this is an occasion when our justice system works and these 2 are removed from our society. If this is the case, we will all be safer.

[Joe Rauzi]

-Twins-Fan- wrote:

<quoted text>
Just to inform you, Solberg was walking in the crosswalk when she was hit. Whitney got tagged with a DUI and abetting because after they fled the scene, down the road the driver and Whitney switched seats. Whitney was driving as well. She was helping the driver. Hope that helps.

Heather was walking because she did not live far from there, she had attended the fireworks display, and she had been out with friends and was doing the right thing by not driving. She was crossing correctly with the light. She did not do anything to lead to this.

[LYNN A]

I 'm sure everyonbe would agree on that. It goes without saying. But, anyway it's at the same time important for some people to see in print to get the HINT. DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE. If you do, you are being, to say athe least, uncaring about everyone else and yourself. You want to kill yourself? Do it some other way or get help. Don't bring others down with you.

Joe Rauzi wrote:

<quoted text>
Heather was walking because she did not live far from there, she had attended the fireworks display, and she had been out with friends and was doing the right thing by not driving. She was crossing correctly with the light. She did not do anything to lead to this.

[Katie P]

I am a good friend of Chris' and I can tell you that this was not a normal thing for him and he is not "monster". He was the last person you would ever see driving drunk. He would always sleep where he was until he was sober so he could drive home. ALWAYS! His girlfriend most likely pressured him into driving that night because i know it isn't a choice he would make on his own. I'm not saying it wasn't a stupid thing to do but there are personal circumstances behind the accident that isn't in news reports I do agree that what happened is a horrible tragedy and it goes to show you how one mistake can change so many lives. My condolences go out to the family and I can tell you that Chris deeply regrets what happened. I think that people need to remember that this is in fact two tragedies. Chris may spend 30 years in jail which would be a loss to all his family and friends. He is really a great guy and doesn't have a bad bone in his body. So please do not think of him as some stupid drunken monster that did this on purpose. I hope that the family is able to cope with their loss and i feel absolutely horrible about the whole situation. I am in full support of both the Solberg and Beussman families and friends.

[Katie P]

Joe Rauzi wrote:

As a friend of the Solberg family, I am shocked and dismayed by the actions of these two. To leave the scene shows the moral fiber of the driver. To be followed and notified of the accident and flee again shows a total lack of morals. There is no amount of jail time that is going to help her children but I would hope that a maximum sentence would be a given.
I do not consider this an accident but rather, a consequence of a terrible decision. Now they will have to live with having killed a very special woman. If I were able to impose a sentence on them it would be to have them replay over and over the funeral for Heather on Wednesday.
I hope that this is an occasion when our justice system works and these 2 are removed from our society. If this is the case, we will all be safer.

I am a good friend of the driver who killed Heather. First off I want give my condolences. I can imagine what you and all the family and friends of Heather must be going through. And i would also like to say a few things about Chris. He is not the guy that would ever drink and drive. He has no prior record of anything like this at all. It was one of those one time mistakes that changes lives. Please do not be so harsh. Chris is having such a hard time dealing with this as much as you are. And honestly, his family and friends are all dealing with this too. It's not a one sided thing. Chris is a human being just like Heather and is loved just the same. I'm not defending his actions in any way, but i want you to see that he is just like all the rest of us and is one of the sweetest people you could meet. I understand how you are feeling. Yes we do think he should do time for what he did but i don't believe that 30 years would be beneficial to anyone. As for his girlfriend, i could really care less. She is a very dangerous woman and she should be locked up because this isn't her first offense.

[LYNN A]

Wow, you tell everyone not to judge him harshly and then you turn around and make horrible and monsterly judgements about his passenger/ other driver(girlfriend or not.)You sound like a jealous woman, but then again i don't know so I won't judge you.

Katie P wrote:

<quoted text>
I am a good friend of the driver who killed Heather. First off I want give my condolences. I can imagine what you and all the family and friends of Heather must be going through. And i would also like to say a few things about Chris. He is not the guy that would ever drink and drive. He has no prior record of anything like this at all. It was one of those one time mistakes that changes lives. Please do not be so harsh. Chris is having such a hard time dealing with this as much as you are. And honestly, his family and friends are all dealing with this too. It's not a one sided thing. Chris is a human being just like Heather and is loved just the same. I'm not defending his actions in any way, but i want you to see that he is just like all the rest of us and is one of the sweetest people you could meet. I understand how you are feeling. Yes we do think he should do time for what he did but i don't believe that 30 years would be beneficial to anyone. As for his girlfriend, i could really care less. She is a very dangerous woman and she should be locked up because this isn't her first offense.

[LYNN A]

TO KATIE P
Also as far as people not knowing the whole story or some of the events of that evening or whatever,does it really matter? I read that it is a fact that he was driving drunk and killed this women and that he then left the scene and then switched seats with his passenger(girlfriend, whatever). Now I don't know but what kind of Good guy would have his passenger switch seats after what he just did? He is not as saintly as you make him out to be. You sound very biased.

[Katie P]

You don't know him like I and all the rest of his friends do. And i know for a fact all of the things i said about his girlfriend. I'm not making assumptions. And as for being a jealous woman forget it. You could talk to any of Chris' friends and they would all say the same thing about her. And put yourself in his situation. Did i say he was a saint. No i did not. All i said was that drunk diving was not something he did. Who wouldn't panic in his situation. Honestly none of you know the real Chris at all and if you don't want to believe me then fine. That's your choice. But don't act like he is an emotionless, uncaring human being.

[LYNN A]

Drunk driving was not something he did? I beg to differ as he did just that. Most of us are good and decent people for the most part and I understand that being his friend you would want to defend his reputation. But when we make "mistakes" like this tradgedy he caused, we are then open to public ridicule. It's just human nature and the right of people to vent against this type of behavior.

Katie P wrote:

You don't know him like I and all the rest of his friends do. And i know for a fact all of the things i said about his girlfriend. I'm not making assumptions. And as for being a jealous woman forget it. You could talk to any of Chris' friends and they would all say the same thing about her. And put yourself in his situation. Did i say he was a saint. No i did not. All i said was that drunk diving was not something he did. Who wouldn't panic in his situation. Honestly none of you know the real Chris at all and if you don't want to believe me then fine. That's your choice. But don't act like he is an emotionless, uncaring human being.

[Katie P]

HE DID NOT DRINK AND DRIVE REGULARLY! What part of that are you not understanding? This is the only time he's done it since i've known him. and yes it was a mistake. Why don't you people understand that? EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES!