Man Accused of Murdering La Quinta Teen in DUI Crash Due in Court Wednesday

The Palm Springs man accused of murder in the hit-and-run crash that killed a La Quinta High School student is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning.

Jose Villegas Orbe is set to appear at the Indio Larson Justice Center around 8:30 a.m. for a felony settlement conference. He stands accused of driving under the influence and fatally striking 14-year-old Liam Cantu in October.

Prosecutors upgraded his charges from manslaughter to murder during a court appearance in early December. According to investigators, Villegas Orbe was intoxicated the night of the crash, had allegedly been involved in a separate hit-and-run earlier that evening, and was already on probation for a previous DUI.

Orbe is being held without bail, according to Riverside County Sheriff's records.

NBC Palm Springs Brett Rosen will be at the courthouse this morning for that meeting. He will have the very latest for you during our midday and evening broadcasts.