Jury convicts Sonora physician in accident that killed three near Don Pedro
A jury Wednesday convicted Sonora physician Danny Mundall Anderson on three counts of vehicular manslaughter resulting from an October 2016 crash on La Grange Road.
The jurors in Tuolumne County Superior Court held Anderson, 71, responsible for the deaths of Trista Hoffman, then 16, of La Grange; her mother, Tina Hoffman, 51; and Rheinholt Eisemann, 72, of Copperopolis.
The defendant faces a maximum of 10 years, four months in prison at the Sept. 7 sentencing, District Attorney Laura Krieg said.
The accident happened on La Grange Road near Bonds Flat Road, in the area of Don Pedro Dam, on the afternoon of Oct. 21, 2016.
The prosecution said Anderson caused the wreck by making an unsafe passing maneuver in his northbound Acura, which caused an oncoming Lexus to swerve and overturn. A northbound Toyota then collided with the Lexus, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The Hoffmans were among the occupants of the Lexus and died at the scene. Eisemann, a passenger in the Toyota, died later at a hospital. Three other people had serious injuries.
The jury acquitted Anderson on a charge of concealing evidence. Krieg said this involved an alleged attempt to sell the Acura in Southern California.
Jurors found Anderson guilty of three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, hit and run causing death or great bodily injury, reckless driving causing injury, and delaying and obstructing an investigation.
Judge Donald Segerstrom allowed Anderson to remain free on bail but granted the prosecution’s request for electronic monitoring, Krieg said.