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Show Sterger Acquitted In Burr Trail Auto Death Michael Allen Sterger, 31, Cypress, Calif, was acquitted of charges of automobile homicide March 26 in Sixth District Court in Panguitch by an eight-man jury. He was convicted of class B misdemeanors on possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. Felony homicide charges against Sterger had been filed since the death of Michelle Eckroth, 26, Huntington Beach, Calif., who died when she was ejected from the four-wheel-drive vehicle operated by Sterger on the Burr Trail in July 1989. The state's attempts to prove Sterger had been under the influence of drugs and alcohol seemed to fail because of the lack of on-the-scene sobriety tests and the absence of any beer containers, to provide the hard evidence necessary for conviction. The accident occurred in a remote area and officers and emergency personnel were focused heavily on trying to save the life of the victim who died shortly after arrival at a Page, Ariz, hospital. "All I could smell was blood," said then-Garfield County Deputy Shaun Draper. A series of motions filed by attorneys in the case during the past two years were decided in favor of the state, but failed to strengthen the state's case enough for conviction. Salt Lake City attorney Ron Yengich who defended Sterger provided character witnesses whose testimony appeared to undermine the veracity of Donald Dudrey, Eckroth's fiance who was the state's chief witness. Sterger will face sentencing on April 30 following a pre-sentence evaluation. Prosecuting for the state was Garfield County attorney Wallace Lee. |