Daughter Sues Cathedral City, Man Accused in 2024 Crash That Killed Mother

The daughter of a woman killed in a 2024 Cathedral City crash has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Cathedral City, the man accused of causing the collision and his company.

Christiana Lewis filed the lawsuit over the death of her mother, 60-year-old Christina Barrington, who was killed after being struck while riding a scooter in Cathedral City.

According to the lawsuit, Barrington was riding near Bankside Drive shortly before 1 a.m. on Oct. 11, 2024, when she was hit from behind. She died the following day.

The lawsuit alleges that a burned-out streetlight on East Palm Canyon Drive contributed to dangerous driving conditions. It also claims the city knew or should have known about the lighting problem.

The lawsuit names the City of Cathedral City, former Silvercrest CEO William Frank Rodriguez and his company as defendants.

Rodriguez is currently facing murder and felony hit-and-run charges in connection with the crash. His preliminary hearing is scheduled to continue Aug. 31.

The wrongful death lawsuit is a separate civil case from the criminal charges against Rodriguez. The allegations in the civil lawsuit have not been proven in court.

NBC Palm Springs reached out to the City of Cathedral City for comment. A city spokesperson said officials do not provide statements regarding ongoing or pending litigation.

According to court records, the city has indicated that it intends to challenge the lawsuit.

The civil case will proceed as the parties address the allegations and the city's response in court.

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