Hermantown Family: No Remorse from Driver Responsible for Fatal Crash
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 9:30pm
By:
Jacob Kittilstad
Photojournalist:
Nathaniel LeCapitaine
FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT
DULUTH-After a plea agreement severely shortens possible punishments for the man responsible in a fatal 2010 crash, a Hermantown family calls it killing without consequences.
The victim was 41-year-old Wayne Mullens who was kiilled near Stebner road coming home from work at Sam's Club.
It was not even dark on New Year's Eve 2010 when then-University of Minnesota-Duluth student Christopher Bombeck crossed the center line.
"When he pleaded not guilty I went 'gasp' really loud because I couldn't believe it. We had seen the accident report,” Shellie Golden, Wayne’s sister, said.
Golden made a giant memory book after her brother’s death.
On Tuesday, however, the family focused on Bombeck who reached a plea agreement in St. Louis County court that might not result in jail time.
Bombeck did not have alcohol or drugs in his system during the crash, but Wayne’s family says Bombeck’s irresponsibility should at least mean the loss of his driver's license.
"Accidents happen. We know that. But he was speeding. He broke the law. He crossed the center line and he killed my brother,” Golden said.
"Like iIwish that he would actually say something to us because it makes me feel like 'does he even care?'" Wayne’s niece, Lexi Golden, said.
Relatives cope by spreading Wayne's ashes on the flag stand he built. But they say a sincere apology would mean more in the absence of what they believe would be a fairer punishment.
"Sometimes my mom will get like emotional about it,” Lexi said. “And I’ll give her hugs and I’ll say 'it's okay. He's always with us'."
FOX 21 NEWS tried to reach out to Bombeck through his public defender and email. We did not get a response.
However, he has graduated from UMD and is living closer to the Twin Cities. He will need to drive up again for sentencing later this month.