A man who repeatedly ran over his friend in a pick up truck after the pair had a row about mayonnaise, has been jailed for life.
Kristofer Erlbacher used his truck to ram Caleb Solberg outside a cafe in the small town of Pisgah, Iowa in the USA on December 17, 2020.
The pair had been out drinking at a bar with another person earlier in the night in nearby Moorhead, but things took a turn when 29-year-old Erlbacher spread mayonnaise on Mr Solberg’s food which sparked a bar fight, the Woodbine Twiner-Herald reported.
A furious Erlbacher called Mr Solberg’s half-brother, Craig Pryor, on the way to the café and threatened to set Solberg’s house on fire and shoot him, the newspaper said.
Mr Pryor later came to the cafe - Dave’s Old Home - where another confrontation was brewing.
Erlbacher eventually rammed his truck into Mr Pryor’s, then slammed into 30-year-old Mr Solberg too.
Mr Pryor told the trial: "It was just another bar fight in Harrison County, until it wasn’t any longer."
District Court Judge Greg Steensland wrote in the verdict: “Erlbacher’s first blow to Solberg did not kill him.
"He can be heard screaming for his brother Craig Pryor.
“Rather than just leave, Erlbacher went down the street, turned around, and came back to strike Solberg a second time … To be sure he had completed the job, Erlbacher drove his truck up and over Solberg one last time.”
Erlbacher then drove off, but his truck broke down a short while later.
On the phone he told Pryor that he had killed Solberg, according to the verdict.
Erlbacher claimed he acted in a reckless manner and did not intentionally kill Solberg.
In an attempt to reduce the charge to second degree murder, which carries a 50-year sentence instead of life in prison, Erlbacher argued he was intoxicated.
His defence also argued that he was justified in using deadly force to defend himself.
Judge Steenseland wrote: "Even if Erlbacher is under the influence of alcohol, he is responsible for his acts if he had sufficient mental capacity to form the specific intent necessary.
"Intoxication is a defence, only when it causes a mental disability which makes a person incapable of forming specific intent.
"The evidence in this case shows that Erlbacher was in no imminent danger that necessitated the use of deadly force against Solberg.
"The evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that Erlbacher acted without justification."
Erlbacher was convicted after a bench trial in December of last year and was sentenced to life on Monday.
