John Tsalapatis found guilty of fatal crash that killed Bernice Sternberg at McLaren Vale

A driver has learnt his fate after he “ploughed” through an intersection at McLaren Vale and caused a shocking crash, killing a schoolteacher. See the jury verdict.

The driver who “ploughed” through an intersection has learnt his fate for causing a horror crash that killed a schoolteacher.

John Tsalapatis was found guilty by a jury on Tuesday of killing Bernice Sternberg, 61, by driving dangerously on Main Rd in McLaren Vale on March 28, 2021.

He was also found guilty of two counts of causing harm by dangerous driving after standing trial in the District Court last week.

John Tsalapatis outside Adelaide Magistrates Court after an earlier appearance. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Mariuz

Ron Sternberg, husband of Bernice Sternberg is seen leaving Adelaide District Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Roy VanDerVegt

Prosecutor Jim Pearce KC told the court in his opening statement that Mrs Sternberg and her husband Ron had been to church and visited Mrs Sternberg’s mother in a nursing home on the day of the crash.

Mr Sternberg was driving his wife of 36 years home at 5.30pm when they approached the intersection of Main and McMurtrie roads.

Footage, released by the District Court, shows the moment the three cars collided at the intersection, throwing the Sternberg’s car into nearby rose bushes.

McLaren Vale teacher Bernice Sternberg was tragically killed in the crash. Picture: McLaren Vale Primary School

Mr Pearce said Tsalapatis was behind the wheel of a black Subaru heading west at the intersection and failed to give way, while travelling at about 80km/h.

“In the few seconds or so before the impact his car slowed … but it barely slowed at all, it didn’t slow in any meaningful matter,” he said.

“On the prosecution case he just ploughed through the intersection.”

The court heard Tsalapatis “T-boned” the Sternberg’s Nissan Pulsar, with the point of impact to the front passenger side where Mrs Sternberg was seated.

Mr Pearce said the force of the impact pushed the Sternberg’s car into the other lane, colliding head-on with a car Ben Moulton was driving, who had his teenage daughters as passengers.

The court heard Mrs Sternberg had to be cut from the wreckage and underwent emergency surgery at the Flinders Medical Centre but died from her injuries five days later.

Mr Moulton and Mr Sternberg suffered minor injuries.

Jane Abbey KC, for Tsalapatis, of Whyalla, argued during closing submissions that her client didn’t see the warning signs or intersection.

Ms Abbey said the sun glare on the day of the offending was one of the factors that caused Tsalapatis to miss the “suboptimal” signs.

“You might find that the intersection was unsafe at that point in time,” she said.

Tsalapatis, who has been allowed to remain on bail, will face sentencing submissions next month.

Originally published as John Tsalapatis found guilty of fatal crash that killed Bernice Sternberg at McLaren Vale