WESTMINSTER, Calif.—A 20-year-old woman was scheduled to be arraigned in October on a murder charge for allegedly running down a man in Cypress she believed was trying to kill a cat with his car.
Hannah Star Esser was charged Sept. 27 with one count of murder, and she faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Esser is accused of killing 43-year-old Luis Anthony Victor on the night of Sept. 25, according to Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Esser and the victim got into a conflict about 8:20 p.m. in the 9700 block of Graham Street, with Esser believing that Victor was trying to run over a cat, Edds said.
The two got out of their cars and the defendant allegedly recorded the confrontation on a smartphone, accusing him of trying to run down the animal, Edds said. Investigators have not yet determined whether the victim was actually attempting to do so.
Esser then got back into her Honda Civic, drove to the end of a cul-de-sac, turned around and ran over Victor, who was still outside of his vehicle, Edds said. Esser called police herself and was arrested.
Esser was scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 13 in the West Justice Center in Westminster. She was being held on $1 million bail.
