Man, 89, Pleads Not Guilty in DHS Crash That Killed Schoolgirl, 9

INDIO (CNS) – An 89-year-old man suspected of rear-ending a school bus, maneuvering around it and striking a group of children, killing a 9-year- old girl and injuring three other children, pleaded not guilty to felony charges Tuesday. Robert William Hanson of Desert Hot Springs was charged with one felony count each of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and of reckless driving with a sentence-enhancing allegation of causing great bodily injury, according to court records. He additionally faces two misdemeanor counts, one each of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence and being an unlicensed operator. Hanson, who has been released from custody, pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied all allegations Tuesday morning at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. Hanson was driving a white Cadillac sedan and rear-ended a bus at around 4 p.m. Dec. 9, 2021, in the 17500 block of Corkill Road, according to California Highway Patrol Officer David Torres. No injuries were reported among the students on the bus. After the crash, Hanson allegedly drove around the bus, veering onto the right shoulder of southbound Corkill Road, hitting a speed limit sign and plowing into four students walking on the shoulder. Monica Gonzalez Guzman, 9, of Desert Hot Springs, died, and three other students, identified in court documents only by the initials B.H., E.S and J.L., suffered varying injuries, Torres said. Hanson and the injured victims, Monica’s 6-year-old brother J.L., 11- year-old E.S. and 12-year-old B.H., were all taken to Desert Regional Medical Center for treatment. J.L. was subsequently taken to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital to be treated for serious injuries including a skull fracture, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant filed by Investigator S. Iniguez of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. E.S. and B.H. sustained minor injuries. Bus driver Carol Custer said she felt the impact at the rear of the bus before she saw the Cadillac go around at about 40 mph when it struck a roadway sign and multiple children, according to Iniguez. B.H. said she felt impact on the left side of her body while she was talking on her cell phone. Authorities said drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.