9-year-old dies when driver hits school bus and then group of children, CA police say

A 9-year-old girl died after a driver slammed into a group of children after hitting the back of a school bus, California police said.

A driver of a Cadillac hit the back of the school bus Thursday, Dec. 9, near Desert Hot Springs, the California Highway Patrol told NBC Palm Springs. The driver then tried to go around the side of the bus and struck four children, police told the news outlet.

The girl was pronounced dead at the scene, Cal Fire officials told KESQ. She was identified by the coroner’s office as Monica Gonzalez Guzman.

Two other children were seriously injured, and another child had minor injuries, according to KESQ. The driver of the Cadillac was also taken to a hospital, according to the Palm Springs Desert Sun.

The crash happened at about 4 p.m. as children were being taken home, the California Highway Patrol told the Desert Sun.

“It is overwhelming to hear and process this kind of tragic news,” Palm Springs Unified School District Superintendent Mike Swize told KESQ. “We want our families and staff to know that we are here for them to provide any supports they need now or in the coming days and weeks ahead.”

This story was originally published December 10, 2021 at 10:46 AM with the headline "9-year-old dies when driver hits school bus and then group of children, CA police say."