Silvercrest CEO Posts $2M Bail After Fatal Hit-and-Run Charges

William Frank Rodriguez, 43-year-old CEO of Silvercrest Advertising, posted $2 million bail Thursday, one day after pleading not guilty to multiple felony charges including first-degree murder in connection with a fatal hit-and-run collision that killed a Cathedral City woman last year.

Rodriguez was charged in the October 11, 2024, death of 60-year-old Christina Barrington, who was struck while riding her scooter eastbound on East Palm Canyon Drive near Bankside Drive.

According to investigators, a black 2021 Porsche traveling 65 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone struck Barrington from behind, dragging the scooter approximately 1,400 feet before fleeing the scene. Barrington died the following day at Desert Regional Medical Center.

In addition to the murder charge, Rodriguez faces charges for driving on a suspended license and felony hit-and-run resulting in death. Court documents show Rodriguez was convicted of driving under the influence in Los Angeles County in 2013 and received a Watson advisement—a legal warning that a subsequent DUI causing death could result in murder charges. His license was suspended following that conviction and never reinstated.

Surveillance footage from the night of the crash reportedly shows Rodriguez drinking at multiple Palm Springs bars, including Dick's and Quadz, with video capturing him stumbling as he left the last venue minutes before the collision occurred.

Cathedral City Police identified Rodriguez as a suspect within days of the incident. After more than a year of investigation, the Riverside County District Attorney's Office approved charges, leading to his arrest on Monday.

Rodriguez is scheduled to appear in court again on October 24.