Harry A. Sieben, Jr. Press

Lawsuit filed by wife of intoxicated hockey fan is settled

Published: June 17, 2005
Edition: METRO
Section: NEWS
Page#: 2B

By Paul Gustafson Staff Writer

The Minnesota Wild, the Xcel Energy Center's manager and a concession company have reached an out-of-court settlement with a woman whose intoxicated husband was paralyzed in a vehicle crash after being ejected from a Wild game in 2002.

Rebecca Lodahl of Woodbury sued the groups, charging that her husband, Kris Lodahl, was obviously intoxicated when he bought alcohol at the center. After being thrown from the arena for spilling beer on another fan, Kris Lodahl flipped his sport-utility vehicle on a freeway exit ramp and was pinned under it. His back and head injures left him a paraplegic, court documents show. State law does not allow obviously intoxicated persons who are served alcohol to sue parties that sold them drinks, but others - such as spouses who suffer losses as a result - can bring lawsuits.

Rebecca Lodahl's suit alleged that her husband's injuries caused her mental anguish, loss of his financial support and loss of his aid and comfort.

Her attorney, Harry Sieben Jr., would not disclose the amount of the settlement but said, "She is satisfied and happy the matter was resolved."

Britton Weimer, an attorney for the Wild and the Saint Paul Arena Co., the arena manager, confirmed the settlement but said he could not disclose details. An attorney for concessionaire Volume Services Inc. declined to comment. In April, Ramsey County District Judge Steven Wheeler denied motions by the defendants to dismiss the suit. One expert estimated Kris Lodahl's blood-alcohol level that night at .26 to .29, nearly three times the legal limit to drive in Minnesota. But Wheeler ruled that there was a "conflict of material facts'' as to whether Lodahl demonstrated obvious intoxication to area drink sellers.

Paul Gustafson is at pgustafson@startribune.com.

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