Updated: 05/13/2009 6:58 PM KSTP.com | Print Story
By: Nicole Muehlhausen, Web Producer
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Widow speaks out after tragic car fire death
 

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For the first time, the widow of a man killed in a fiery car crash is speaking out—a day after officials formally charged the woman accused of causing the accident.

Police say Melissa Kathleen Heus was more than four and a half times over the legal driving limit when she crashed into James Wolter's car last December.

Ever since they married on April 13, 2000, James and Patricia Wolter never let a month go by without celebrating.

"Every 13th of the month—just because it was our day," Patricia Wolter said.

But on the 13th of December, Wolter got worried when her husband didn't come home after going out to buy groceries.

She says she didn't know he was inside this car engulfed in flames until police came to her door.

"I said no. I'm going to prove you wrong. I'm going to call him and he's going to call me back. He didn't answer the phone, he didn't call back, he was gone," she said.

Heus was charged Tuesday with criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation.

According to the criminal complaint, Heus slammed into several cars at more than 80 miles an hour at the intersection of Highway 252 and 66th Avenue in Brooklyn Center. Police say her blood alcohol content was found to be .36, four and a half times the legal limit to drive.

Three other vehicles were involved in the crash, none of which suffered life-threatening injuries.

"She ended a large portion of our lives right there at that spot at that moment," Wolter explained.

Now Wolter spends the 13th of every month at her husband’s grave. She says it is still a celebration of her marriage.

"I though that would destroy it by him dying on the 13th, but no. She didn't take that away from me and she never can."

If convicted of both counts, Heus faces up to 13 years in prison, a $30,000 fine, or both.

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