ɪn dʒuːlˈaɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi tˈuː, sˈɑːnənbˌɜːɡ wʌz ɪnvˈɑːlvd ɪn ɐ fˈeɪɾəl kˈɑːɹ ˈæksɪdənt ɪn lˈɔːɹəns, mˌæsɐtʃˈuːsɪts wɛn ðə kˈɑːɹ hiː wʌz dɹˈaɪvɪŋ hˈɪt ðə kˈɑːɹ ʌv pəlˈiːsmən ɹˈɪtʃɚd mˈɔːɹɪsi, hˌuː wʌz kˈɪld.
In July 1932, Sonnenberg was involved in a fatal car accident in Lawrence, Massachusetts when the car he was driving hit the car of policeman Richard Morrissey, who was killed.