Riester lied to police
Andrea McCann | Tuesday, July 26, 2011 9:00 am
Bond was increased to $750,000 Monday for Rachael Riester, 32, who allegedly struck and killed 17-year-old Rhett Smith, 610 Center St., with the car she was driving on West National Highway just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Riester, of 625 S.W. Fifth St., left the accident scene, ditched her car and had her boyfriend, Taylor Waller, report it stolen. Dispatchers received a call at 11:35 p.m. about a car hitting a pole on Campbell’s Hill. Four minutes later, they received Waller’s call about the vehicle — a silver 1994 Oldsmobile registered to Riester’s father, Tim McDaniel — being stolen.
The car on Campbell’s Hill, identified as Riester’s, had a broken windshield on the passenger side and blood in various spots.
Initially, Riester denied being the driver. She told officers her sister sometimes borrows the car, but the sister denied driving it and a witness placed her at Walmart when the accident occurred. Waller also denied driving the vehicle and, when he was advised he could be charged if he was covering for Riester, he acknowledged she’d been out in the car. Riester then admitted she’d been driving.
She was taken to the hospital to have blood drawn, and the test came back positive for benzodiazapines — a family of depressants — and methamphetamine. She told Washington Police Det. Mike Healy she did the meth Friday during the day and also had smoked a bowl of marijuana after the accident.
Riester, according to the probable cause, told Healy she’d been on her cell phone when she struck Smith and that she’d been doing about 60 mph. Two of Smith’s friends were with him when the accident occurred, but they’d already crossed the street. According to other friends holding a vigil at the accident site Monday night, the two boys were urging Smith to hurry because a car was coming at a high rate of speed. Smith was answering his cell phone and didn’t catch what they said. He was struck as he stepped off the curb and his body dragged several feet, according to the group.
The teenagers were constructing a memorial to Smith and remembering him during their vigil. A small white cross held a blue bandana, bracelets, necklaces, cigarettes, hair ties, candy, flowers, and even a tongue ring.
“We’re out supporting my boyfriend,” said Andrea Jewell, who had dated Smith for almost two years. “He was great.”
Ariel Landes said Smith meant a lot to his friends, and as many as 30 people were at the memorial Sunday.
“If you were sad, he’d make it better,” said Dakota Tipton. “We all love him and are gonna miss him.”
Charlie Stone and Pristyna Miller said he was like a brother to them.
“When I moved out here from L.A., I had problems with my family, and he always knew how to make me feel better,” Miller said, choking back tears. “I took him as my brother. It’s like losing someone from your family.”
Jewell agreed, adding that his friends could talk to him about anything and he wouldn’t snitch on them.
“He was good about giving advice,” said Kendra Wadsworth.
The other thing his friends remember most about Smith is his humorous side.
“If I had anything to say about Rhett, he was the goofy kid in the group,” said Ambrea Groves. “He made everyone laugh.”
She said when he had long hair, he looked just like Justin Bieber, but he hated the comparison.
“He always liked to talk like a chipmunk,” William Krodel said with a grin.
According to his friends, Smith’s favorite color was blue, and he loved Dr Pepper. Andrea said he had a German shepherd named Jersey that he also loved.
He would’ve been a senior at Washington High School, but Andrea said he dropped out and entered the GED program. She said when she turned 18, they planned to move to Frankfort, where his family was from, and get married.
The visitation for Smith will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Genda and Bodine Funeral Homes, 608 N. Main St., Frankfort. The funeral service will immediately follow the visitation. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Bunnell Cemetery in Frankfort.