Silvercrest CEO Returns to Court in Fatal Hit-and-Run Case

William Frank Rodriguez, 43-year-old CEO of Silvercrest Advertising, is scheduled to appear in court Friday morning for a felony settlement conference in connection with the fatal hit-and-run death of Cathedral City resident Christina Barrington.

The hearing is set for 9 a.m. at the Larson Justice Center. Rodriguez remains out on $2 million bail after pleading not guilty to first-degree murder, felony hit-and-run resulting in death, and driving on a suspended license.

The charges stem from an October 11, 2024, collision on East Palm Canyon Drive near Bankside Drive. According to investigators, a black 2021 Porsche traveling 65 mph in a 45-mph zone struck 60-year-old Barrington from behind while she rode her scooter. The vehicle dragged the scooter approximately 1,400 feet before fleeing the scene. Barrington died the following day at Desert Regional Medical Center.

Court documents show Rodriguez was convicted of DUI 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, with video capturing him stumbling as he left the last venue minutes before the collision.

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 October 14, 2024.