Preliminary Hearing Underway for Silvercrest CEO William Rodriguez

Palm Springs resident and Silvercrest CEO William Rodriguez, a convicted DUI offender, is back in court this morning for a preliminary hearing that could determine whether his case moves to trial.

Rodriguez faces murder and hit-and-run charges in the October 2024 death of 60-year-old Christina Barrington of Cathedral City. Investigators say he struck Barrington with his Porsche while she was riding a scooter with her pet, then drove away without stopping.

LIVE REPORT (as of 12:57 p.m.): During today’s preliminary hearing the defense has laid out multiple pieces of evidence indicating that Rodriguez was responsible for the death of Barrington.

The judge presiding over the case, Judge John Ryan, has heard from five Cathedral City Police officers so far who have testified about their findings related to the case. 

According to their testimonies, when officers arrived to the scene they found 60-year old Christina Barrington laying on the ground with severe injuries on East Palm Canyon Drive on October 11 at around 12:47 a.m. Barrington was wearing a reflective safety vest and backpack when she was found.

Shortly after, officers located the orange scooter she was riding on at Cathedral Canyon drive and East Palm Canyon Drive, about two blocks away from where she was found. 

According to the detectives’ testimonies, the scooter, a Genuine Buddy 125,  appeared to have been hit from the rear and its license plate was bent. The seat was also against the driver’s handles when it was found and its headlight was detached.

Officers also stated they noticed an oil spill underneath the scooter when it was found that continued south of the intersection of East Palm Canyon drive and Cathedral Canyon drive. When the officers attempted to follow it, the oil trail seemed to have stopped at East Palm Canyon and Buddy Rogers Road.

Cathedral city officers also stated they used flock cameras and surveillance video to  track the path of a Porsche Cayenne vehicle that is believed to be involved in the collision.

The video presented during the preliminary hearing shows an object falling off from the front end of the vehicle as it was traveling on East Palm Canyon drive, although the object was not identified. 

According to the footage, what appears to be a black Porsche Cayenne SUV entered Cathedral City limits from the city of Palm Springs around the time of the incident and was parked at a residence on Lincoln Avenue. After doing a license plate search, officers confirmed that the vehicle belonged to William Frank Rodriguez. 

After conducting a search warrant at the residence on Lincoln Avenue, officers seized the vehicle, which had what appeared to be collision damage on the front end near the driver’s side, orange paint marks, and it appeared to be leaking radiator fluid.

However, officers stated they never received a call from Rodriguez about the seizure of the car to date. 

Officers also seized a cell phone and the keys to the vehicle during the search warrant.

The defense also presented a number of detailed maps that showed the area where Barrington was found, where the scooter was found, and the trajectory of the black Porsche Cayenne SUV believed to be involved in the collision.

A report from the Cathedral City Police Department says Rodriguez had been drinking at several places before the crash. According to the report, he drove home afterward without reporting it, then left town for Las Vegas for the weekend.

Rodriguez wasn't arrested until October 2025, about a year after the crash. He was later released on $2 million bail.

Today's hearing at the Larson Justice Center in Indio will determine whether there's enough evidence for the case to go to trial. Rodriguez faces charges of murder, hit-and-run causing death, and driving with a suspended license, all of which Rodriguez has pleaded not guilty.

Our reporter Alondra Campos has been in the courtroom all day, and will have a compete recap of the day in court today on NBC Palm Springs at 5 & 6pm.