A Crystal man who was stopped by police for driving with his grandson on his lap has been charged with child endangerment, according to charges filed in Hennepin County District Court.

William Dale Egerer, 85, told police that he was teaching his grandson how to stop at a stop sign and look both ways and that he thought it was OK to drive with the 5-year-old on his lap since he had done that with other family members in the past, the complaint said.

Egerer was charged with a gross misdemeanor for intentionally or recklessly placing a child in a situation that was likely to harm or cause death to the child.

A New Hope police officer spotted Egerer driving his 2004 Mercury Marquis "very slowly" along 49th Avenue N. near the New Hope Ice Arena on Oct. 10. As Egerer prepared to make a left turn onto Maryland Avenue, the officer noticed the child on Egerer's lap and that the boy appeared to be steering the vehicle. The child was wearing a diaper and was no more than 2 inches from the air bag, the complaint said.

Egerer told the officer that he never drove on busy streets, but did say that he was aware that if the air bag deployed it could severely injure his grandson.

This was not the first time Egerer had been stopped by police for the same offense. Police in Crystal had given Egerer several warnings for the misbehavior in the past, including one occasion when officers saw the boy leaning out the window while Egerer drove. He had been told that the child needed to be restrained in a car seat but had not been ticketed, the complaint read.

In Minnesota, a child who is both younger than 8 and shorter than 4 feet 9 is required to be fastened in a child safety seat or booster seat that meets federal safety standards. A child can use a seat belt alone once they reach age 8 or are 4 feet 9 or taller, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Egerer is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Nov. 3. If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail, a $3,000 fine or both.

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768