Kristofer Erlbacher, 29, was sentenced to life in prison Monday after repeatedly running over his friend with his pickup truck after the two got into a fight over mayonnaise. After a bench trial, he was convicted in December of first-degree murder for the 2020 killing of his friend.
The Des Moines Register reported Erlbacher used his truck to hit Caleb Solberg, 30, outside of a café in Pisgah on Dec. 17, 2020. Erlbacher came back and ran Solberg over twice more, according to the register. The two friends, and another person, was out drinking at a bar in nearby Moorhead when things took a turn for the worst. The Woodbine Twiner-Herald reported a first fight erupted after Erlbacher spread Mayonaisse on Solberg’s food.
According to investigators, Erlbacher left in his truck after making threats to people, including Solberg and others. The threats included calls to Solberg’s half-brother, Craig Pryor.
“Erlbacher’s first blow to Solberg did not kill him. He can be heard screaming for his brother, Craig Pryor,” wrote District Judge Greg Steensland, according to the Twiner-Herald.
“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 left the scene, but his truck broke down later on. According to the verdict, he told Pryor he had killed Solberg.
