(Lander) — The Fremont County and Prosecuting Attorney’s office has filed aggravated vehicular homicide charges against a Lander man who hit and killed a Crowheart school girl crossing U.S. Highway 26 while he allegedly ignored school bus warning lights.
William Dean Barnes, 52, was also charged with four other misdemeanors, including homicide by vehicle, maximum speed too fast for conditions, passing a stopped school bus with flashing red rights and exercise of due care by driver. The charges allege that Barnes failed to stop for the flashing red lights of a Fremont County School District #6 bus and subsequently hit and killed MaKayla Marie Strahle, 11, as she walked across the highway toward her home.
Barnes’ court appearance to face the charges will be in Lander on Feb. 14 in Fremont County Circuit Court.
The charges stem from an incident the evening of December 20th, the last day of school before the Christmas break. Strahle, a sixth grade student at Wind River School in Pavillion, had stayed after school for a holiday dance, and was taking the late bus home that evening.
According to a Wyoming Highway Patrol report of the incident, Barnes was traveling approximately 57 mph when he struck the girl in front of her home five miles east of Crowheart. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing the red flashing warning lights on the stopped school bus before Barne’s pickup truck struck the girl.
The charges carry penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment on the felony charge and up to 14 months on the misdemeanor charges.
##
##
