An alleged repeat DUI offender accused of crashing his pickup truck into an SUV in Palm Desert while under the influence, then leading sheriff’s deputies on a short pursuit, was charged Tuesday with hit-and-run causing injury, drunken driving and evading arrest.
William Christopher Fryrear, 48, of La Quinta, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center.
According to a declaration in support of increased bail, Fryrear has six previous DUI convictions, which prompted the sheriff’s department to request that his bail be increased to $750,000.
“He bragged about how much money he has and how he would be posting bail within the hour,” according to the declaration written by Deputy Nicole Wilhite. “Fryrear has no regard for life and I believe if he is released from jail, he will drive under the influence and potentially seriously injur(e) or kill an innocent person.”
Fryrear is accused of crashing his Dodge pickup into a Nissan SUV just after 5 p.m. last Thursday near Monterey Avenue and Country Club Drive. When deputies arrived on scene, witnesses told them that the pickup driver had fled the scene, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Tijerina.
The truck was later spotted, but Fryrear allegedly sped away from deputies, who took him into custody about three miles southeast of the crash scene at Columbine Way and Lavender Drive, according to county jail records.
Fryrear was treated for minor injuries, then booked into the Riverside County jail in Indio. The SUV driver suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene, Tijerina said.