Late Friday afternoon, on La Grange Road just north of Bonds Flat Road, three people were killed after a driver illegally passed a vehicle over a solid double-yellow line and caused a crash.

The accident happened just before 4:30 p.m. as a Lexus SUV traveling south on La Grange Road swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle that had just illegally passed a Toyota traveling north. Trista Hoffman, 16, of La Grange had been driving the Lexus. Her passengers included her mother, Tina Hoffman, 51; brother, Dillon Hoffman, 17; and friend Annie Johnson, 16.

As the Lexus swerved, it went into the dirt shoulder, eventually overturning onto its right side, back on the roadway. The Toyota then crashed into the overturned SUV’s roof. Dorothy Eisemann, 66, of Copperopolis had been driving the Toyota. Her 72-year-old husband, Rheinholt Eisemann was her only passenger.

Tina Hoffman, Trista Hoffman and Rheinholt Eisemann died as a result of the crash. Dillon Hoffmann and Annie Johnson, both students at Sonora High School, suffered major injuries, and Dorothy Eisemann suffered minor injuries.

The driver immediately fled the scene and now police are seeking help from the public. CHP Sonora Officer Faustino Pulido said “We are desperately asking for any help”. “We ask people to come forward and call with anything.” The driver could face felony no-contact hit-and-run as well as vehicular manslaughter charges.

Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Pulido at 916-634-3502.

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