SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A 66-year-old man accused of striking and killing two elderly women with his car in Santa Clara earlier this month will face an additional charge for allegedly carrying a loaded weapon in his car.

Santa Clara resident Cecil Wayne Cox appeared in court Monday to have a public defender appointed to his case and be charged with an additional misdemeanor count, district attorney's office spokeswoman Amy Cornell said.

Cox had already been charged with two felony counts of hit-and-run accident resulting in death, one felony count of vehicular manslaughter and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter.

On Monday, one misdemeanor count of carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle was added, Cornell said.

"Cox had a Glock .45-caliber handgun in his car at the time of the collision," Cornell said.

Prosecutors allege that he drove his 1994 Infiniti sedan through a crosswalk at Stevens Creek Boulevard and Cypress Avenue on Aug. 9, striking San Jose residents Enedina Oliva, 70, and Oralia Puga-Ramirez, 73.

Police believe Cox was driving west on Stevens Creek Boulevard when the vehicle hit the victims around 8:20 p.m., Santa Clara police Sgt. Kurt Clarke said.

Puga-Ramirez landed on the hood of the car, according to police. Clarke said police believe Cox drove for about 400 yards, then slowed, extended his arm from the window and pushed her from the vehicle.

Police say he then ran over her again and continued driving, Clarke said.

The felony count of vehicular manslaughter is for the act of pushing Puga-Ramirez from the car's hood, Cornell said.

Oliva and Puga-Ramirez were both taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center where they died, Clarke said.

Cox was arrested Aug. 11 at the Santa Clara City Library, Clarke said. City Librarian Karen Saunders said one of her staff members saw Cox's picture in the paper and recognized him as a patron of the library.