Republican Rep. Olson's wife says she feared for her life

A Big Lake legislator's estranged wife testifies in his trial on assault charges that she was "afraid of being killed" and that he had attacked her three other times.

Star Tribune

A few days after throwing a reelection party for her legislator-husband in November, Heidi Olson said she confronted him about harshly disciplining her youngest son and wound up fearing for her life, and her husband's.

Heidi Olson, 50, was the first witness to testify in the trial of Rep. Mark Olson, a Republican from Big Lake, after opening arguments Wednesday in Sherburne County District Court in Elk River. Mark Olson faces two misdemeanor domestic assault counts, which allege he pushed his wife down three times behind their Big Lake home on Nov. 12, causing her harm and fear.

Heidi Olson contradicted defense claims that Mark Olson, not she, was the abused spouse.

Heidi Olson testified that their four-year marriage has been difficult, and the couple, now in the process of divorce, had sought marital counseling three times. Olson, who had five children with her first husband, who later died, said she and Mark Olson had big arguments monthly, often about child discipline. Two of her older sons listened in court as their mother, wearing a yellow sweater and dress, testified.

Heidi Olson, who is 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, said her husband, who is 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, physically assaulted her three times before the November incident, once bruising her arms by repeatedly throwing two Bibles at her in a rage. The jury was shown pictures of her arm bruises......