A DUI suspect with a prior conviction is in custody for involvement in a fatal Palm Springs crash that kept him hospitalized for the past two months.
Kevin Atteberry, 57, of Los Angeles, who has a prior DUI conviction, was accused of murder, and various felony and misdemeanor DUI related violations, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.
Police said the fatal collision occurred about 9 p.m. on July 30 in the intersection of East Palm Canyon Drive and Sunrise Way. Atteberry was allegedly traveling south on Sunrise Way when his vehicle rear-ended another vehicle stopped at the intersection.
The driver of the rear-ended vehicle, Burbank resident Erik Verdian, died at the scene, police said.
A passenger in Verdian’s vehicle and Atteberry were both taken to a hospital with serious injuries, police said.
The impact allegedly caused a chain crash with two other vehicles stopped in the intersection, though no other injuries were reported.
According to police, Atteberry also was suspected of causing a hit-and- run crash in the intersection of Ramon Road and Sunrise Way prior to the fatal crash.
After over two months of hospitalization, Atteberry was released Sunday afternoon from medical care and surrendered at the police department, according to police.
He was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning and bail was set at $2 million.
Anyone with information on the incident was asked to call the police department’s Traffic Division at 760-323-8125 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 760-341-7867 (STOP).
