Long Beach man accused of killing Cathedral City woman in DUI crash arraigned

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) - A motorist accused of killing a 57-year-old woman in a DUI collision at a Rancho Mirage intersection pleaded not guilty today to second-degree murder and other charges.

Tyler Jordan Conant, 23, of Long Beach was arrested Saturday following a Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigation into the death of Teresa Bowlin of Cathedral City.   

Along with murder, Conant is charged with DUI resulting in great bodily injury, DUI with excessive intoxication and sentence-enhancing allegations of reckless driving and hit-and-run resulting in a fatality.  

The defendant was arraigned Wednesday before Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Tucker, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for May 29 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

The judge ordered Conant held without bail at the Benoit Detention Center.   

According to sheriff's Sgt. Robert Wiggs, the crash occurred just after 8 a.m. Saturday at Dinah Shore Drive, east of Monterey Avenue near the Rancho Mirage Costco. 

Wiggs alleged the defendant slammed into Bowlin's vehicle, though specific details, including the direction each car was traveling at the time, were not provided.

Conant ran away from the wreck immediately after it happened, according to the sergeant.

He said patrol deputies and paramedics reached the location within a few minutes, pronouncing the victim dead at the scene.   

Deputies searched the area and found Conant nearby. He was taken into custody without incident.  

Prosecutors have the discretion, under California law, to charge murder when an alleged DUI offender causes a fatality and has a prior conviction for driving under the influence.

Court documents did not disclose anything regarding Conant's background.