Head-on Collision Claims Life of Popular Excelsior Business Owner

A well-known Excelsior resident was killed Tuesday morning in a car accident near Watertown.

Debbie Hart was traveling on County Road 10 just before 11:45 a.m. when the Carver County Sheriff’s Office says her vehicle was involved in a head-on collision. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sergeant Lance Pearce said Hart was traveling alone in her four-door sedan and road conditions were degraded due to sleet at the time of the crash, which involved two vehicles and closed Hwy. 10 for more than an hour. Segeant Pearce was unsure whether Hart was wearing her seat belt but said alcohol or other intoxicants were not believed to have been a factor.

Hart owned Artworks Art & Frame Inc. on Water Street in Excelsior and founded the city’s popular Art on the Lake festival, where she continued to serve as a board member.

The Carver County Sheriff was expected to issue an official statement about the crash by Friday morning.

Friends of Hart took to Facebook as news of her death reached the community to offer messages of sympathy and relate personal stories of their experiences dealing with Hart. Below are are a few of those messages:

• Alexandra Masui I am so saddened by this news  Debbie and her husband have framed many of my art pieces and I will miss coming to her shop and saying "hello". Prayers to her family during this very difficult period.
• Amy VanEgtern Wilkinson Oh, so sad. She was a lovely lady, helped us many times. Even offering her horse trailer for a large piece made on one of her canvases by a friend. Prayers go out to her family.
• Patty Gleeson what a tragic and sad loss for the community. May her memories and good works continue to bless all she knew and all she touched with her generous heart.
• Sue E. Warfield I am soooo very very sorry. Debby was an amazing person and I feel very privileged and honored to have known her.

Lake Minnetonka Patch will have additional updates to this story as further details are confirmed.