Update: Mother And Daughter Die In Triple Fatal Crash On J-59
Update at 10:30 a.m.: A triple fatal crash on J-59 near Bonds Flat Road in Tuolumne County has sadly taken the lives of a mother and daughter while another sibling fights for his life in a Modesto hospital. The CHP has released the name of the third person killed in the triple fatal. She is Tina Hoffman, 51, from La Grange and is the mother of Trista Hoffman, 16, who the CHP identified as one of the deceased earlier this morning . Another member of the family, Dillon Hoffman, 17, who suffered major injuries and was flown to a Modesto hospital for treatment is the son and brother of the deceased. (Further details on the triple fatal crash are below.)
Original post at 7:15 a.m.: Tuolumne County, CA — The CHP is actively investigating a wreck that left three dead and two others suffering major injuries while one of the vehicles fled the scene.
As first reported here, the accident happened just before 4:30 p.m. Friday on J-59/La Grange Road north of the Bonds Flat Road intersection by Lake Don Pedro. Initially, the CHP reported one person had died.
The CHP reports Dorothy Eisemann, 66, from Copperopolis was driving a 2009 Toyota northbound on J-59 when a vehicle illegally crossed into oncoming traffic over the double yellow lines to pass her. Trista R. Hoffman, 16, from La Grange was driving a 2002 Lexus SUV southbound and swerved right to avoid the vehicle. The CHP reports Hoffman lost control of the SUV and it overturned onto its right side. It slid across the roadway and its roof smashed into the front of Eisemann’s vehicle. The driver of the vehicle that was passing Eisemann was not hit and took off from the scene.
Hoffman died at the scene. Her passenger, a 51-year-old woman from La Grange was ejected from the vehicle and also sustained fatal injuries. Her name is not being released pending notification of family. A relative and passenger in Eisemann’s car, Rheinholt Eisemann, 72, from Copperopolis was flown to Sonora Regional Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries. Two passengers in the back of Hoffman’s SUV, Dillon Hoffman, 17, and Annie Johnson, 16, both suffered major injuries and were flown to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto.
Neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected in the collision. The CHP is asking for anyone with information about the crash or the vehicle to contact the Sonora Unit at 209-984-3944.
