Driver’s trial starts Monday

The trial of a driver from Costa Mesa, who allegedly killed a pedestrian in a crosswalk through being distracted by text messaging, will begin at 9 a.m. Monday at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.

Martin Burt Kuehl is accused of failing to slow down or stop when Martha Ovalle, 32, was crossing the street about 8:30 a.m. Aug. 29, 2008. She was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force injuries from the impact by Kuehl’s SUV, according to a press release from the Orange County district attorney’s office. The 42-year-old is charged with one felony count of vehicular manslaughter. If convicted, he faces up to nine years in state prison.

— Mona Shadia