Wife of ex-Vikings star Joe Senser who struck and killed a chef with her Mercedes finishes six-month work release and heads home

• Amy Senser, 48, was convicted in May 2012 in connection to hit-and-run crash that killed Anousone Phanthavong
• She was sentenced to 41 months in prison but was approved for work release in April 2014 
• Senser spent the past six months living in a jail of halfway house while working during the day
• She will be subject to random drug and alcohol testing, and will remains under supervision until her sentence expires in December 2015

By Associated Press and Snejana Farberov for MailOnline

Published: 10:29 EST, 21 October 2014 | Updated: 14:02 EST, 21 October 2014

The wife of former Minnesota Vikings player Joe Senser was allowed to return home Monday after completing a work release assignment for her conviction in a hit-and-run accident that killed a chef.

Senser will be subject to random drug and alcohol testing, as well as searches of her home and car, as part of her supervised release, said Minnesota Department of Corrections spokeswoman Sarah Latuseck. 

Amy Senser has also lost her driver's license for about five years and must pay a $6,400 fine.

Hoemcoming: Amy Senser, 48, the wife of former Minnesota Vikings player Joe Senser, was allowed to return home Monday after completing her work release

Guilty: Senser (left) was convicted in May 2012 in connection to a hit-and-run accident that killed Anousone Phanthavong (right)

Senser was sent to prison for the 2011 hit-and-run death of 38-year-old  Anousone Phanthavong, a chef at a now-closed True Thai restaurant, on a dark freeway ramp in Minneapolis.

He had just finished work at 11pm and was putting gas in his stalled car when he was struck and killed by the SUV Senser was driving. 

Mrs Senser told investigators she left the scene because she believed she struck a construction cone or barrel.

There were no witnesses to the fatal collision. Phanthavong's body, which was thrown about 50 feet, was found on the ramp, along with pieces of Senser's Mercedes-Benz.

A jury in 2012 convicted Senser of two counts of criminal vehicular homicide — one for leaving the scene, and a second for failing to call for help. She was acquitted of a third count of gross negligence.

In July 2012, Senser was sentenced to 41 month in prison. In April of this year, after serving nearly two years at a correctional facility for women in Shakopee, Senser was approved for work release, reported Fox9.   

Senser, a mother of two pictured with her husband during her trial, was sentenced to 41 months in prison but served about half before being approved for a work release assignment 

Closure: : In a May 2012 court appearance, members of victim Anousone Phanthavong's family embraced Amy Senser after she was found guilty

The married mother of two completed six months of work release, meaning she was allowed to leave the facility she was in only for work. She will be under supervision until her sentence expires in December 2015.

Senser's attorney, Eric Nelson, said last week that she had no issues during her time on work-release, the Star Tribune reported.

A state law that went into effect in August cuts off the 'ignorance' defense in hit-and-run cases.

On August 23, 2011, Anousone Phanthavong's car had run out of gas and he was filling the tank on the side of a freeway exit ramp near the Thai restaurant where he worked when he was struck and killed.

Nearly 24 hours later, Amy Senser’s defense attorney, Eric Nelson, called police to tell them they could pick up the banged up the Mercedes-Benz involved in the crash at the Sensers' home.

But it was more than a week later that Mrs Senser finally admitted that she was the one driving.

The retired football player's wife was ultimately convicted of leaving the scene of an accident and failure to promptly report an accident, both felonies.

Athlete: Joe Senser was a tight end for the Vikings in the early 1980s and later became a game commentator 

During an emotional sentencing hearing in July 2012, Senser tearfully apologized to the victim's family and accepted full responsibility for his death.

'I've waited a long time to say I'm sorry. I hope you can believe me that I never saw your son that night and if I had I would have stopped to help him,' Senser said.

Her lawyer said at the time that then-45-year-old Senser got a tattoo of Phanthavong's name to remind her of what she had done.

Her husband, Joe Senser, was a tight end for the Vikings in the early 1980s and later became a game commentator. He also owns a chain of casual dining restaurants in Minnesota bearing his name. 

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