ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — A Severna Park man learned his fate Tuesday afternoon after pleading guilty to a fatal crash in Anne Arundel County.
William John Sternhagen, 63, pleaded guilty to the charges of negligent manslaughter and reckless driving.
On February 7, 2024, around 7:41 a.m., officers responded to a multi-vehicle crash on Annapolis Road at Piedmont Lane in Hanover.
Investigators found that a 2015 Dodge Dart was driving east on Annapolis Road before attempting to make a left turn onto Piedmont Lane.
At the same time, a 2020 Tesla Model X was approaching from the west when both vehicles collided in the intersection.
The Dodge overturned and came to rest on a grassy section adjacent to the roadway, same as the Tesla.
Joseph Richard Muniz, the driver of the Dodge Dart, died as a result of the crash.
Sternhagen, who was driving the Tesla, was uninjured.
Investigators later found that Sternhagen was driving 90 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone.
Witnesses at the scene told police that they saw Sternhagen driving 'aggressively' and 'weaving in and out of traffic' just before the crash.
“The excessive speed and aggressive driving demonstrates the defendant’s complete disregard for the safety of other drivers on the road, many who were on their way to work that morning," Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said. "When he chose to drive 50 miles over the speed limit, his actions were as dangerous as an impaired driver. This sentence is a reminder that aggressive driving and speeding can result in tragedies that devastate families. Mr. Muniz was a military veteran, husband, father of three, and a beloved youth football coach in York Township, PA. I hope that this sentence provides some solace to his family and friends in this difficult time.”
Sternhagen was sentenced to 10 years, with all but 18 months suspended, and will serve five years of supervised probation upon release.
