Man, 88, charged with killing girl in California car crash

INDIO, Calif. (AP) — An 88-year-old Southern California man has been charged with killing a 9-year-old girl with his car in a crash a year ago.

The Desert Sun reports Friday that Robert William Hanson of Desert Hot Springs has been charged with counts including vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, reckless driving and driving without a license.

Authorities said Hanson was driving a 1994 Cadillac in the community 110 miles (177 kilometers) east of Los Angeles on Dec. 9, 2021 when he ran into a school bus, a speed limit sign and four elementary students walking home from school on the side of the road.

Monica “Monique” Gonzalez Guzman, 9, died at the scene. Three other students were injured.

Hanson was arrested and posted bail the next day. He was not charged at the time.

A warrant was issued this week for his arrest. As of Friday, he was not in custody, according to the Riverside County district attorney’s office.

It was not immediately known whether Hanson had an attorney who might be able to comment on his behalf.

Hanson’s license expired in 2015 and he told officers at the scene he knew it had expired, the paper reported.