Silvercrest CEO/Founder arrested in deadly Cathedral City hit-and-run crash
Jesus Reyes
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – The CEO/Founder of Silvercrest Advertising was arrested in connection with a deadly hit-and-run crash nearly one year ago in Cathedral City.
William Frank Rodriguez, 43, of Palm Springs, was arrested Monday afternoon, according to jail records. He was charged with homicide, along with other charges.
The crash happened on Oct. 11, 2024, just after midnight in the area of E. Palm Canyon Drive and Bankside Drive.
Christina Barrington, 60, was killed in the crash while riding her scooter in the area. Her dog was also injured in the crash but survived and was reunited with family members.
Christina Barrington
Police said the investigation revealed that the suspect vehicle dragged the scooter after the crash while fleeing the scene.
“Through investigation it was learned the scooter was traveling eastbound East Palm Canyon Drive when another vehicle struck it from behind. Barrington was thrown from the scooter and the suspect vehicle drug the scooter a significant distance while fleeing the scene,” reads a Cathedral City police news release on Tuesday.
Police were able to identify the vehicle that fled the scene as a black 2021 Porsche.
On Thursday, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office approved filing charges. Warrants were obtained the next day and Rodriguez was arrested Monday.
Rodriguez is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
Silvercrest has a large reach in the Coachella Valley, as it is a presenting sponsor of the 2024 Palm Springs International Film Festival as well as the outdoor and VIP spaces at Acrisure Arena. PSIFF terminated their partnership with Silvercrest in February 2025, and they do not have any current affiliations with them.
If you have information related to this incident or believe you may have information, contact Traffic Investigator A. Felix at (760) 770-0343 or email at AFelix@cathedralcity.gov; or via the Cathedral City Police Department website at: cathedralcitypolice.com; or email tips@cathedralcity.gov.
You can also report information anonymously through Coachella Valley Crime Stoppers, by calling (760) 341-STOP; or through the WeTip hotline at: 1-(800)-78-CRIME or WWW.WETIP.com. Some tip information may qualify for a cash reward
Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.