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.
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.