Man charged in deadly hit-and-run pleads not guilty
The man accused of fleeing the scene after a crash that killed a 63-year-old woman pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run, and resisting arrest on Thursday.
On January 3, Joan Rerlisner, 63, of Aguanga was killed by a crash on SR-371 just north of Wilson Valley Road. Police say 23-year-old Antone Wayne Bayard caused the crash and fled the scene on foot.
Authorities located Bayard at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel on Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage that same day. Police revealed that Bayard fled on foot once again, this time causing injuries to two officers.
This led to a massive hours-long manhunt in a neighborhood across from the River shopping center but officers were not able to find Bayard.
Bayard was finally located and arrested Tuesday afternoon along Corkhill Road in Sky Valley.
Bayard is scheduled to appear at a felony settlement conference on February 6 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.