Bail for CHP Officer Doubled to $1 Million : Prosecutor Cites New Evidence, Witness Fears Over Release of Suspect in Slaying of SDSU Student

Bail for California Highway Patrol Officer Craig Peyer was doubled to $1 million Tuesday after a judge heard new evidence against Peyer, who is charged with murdering a San Diego State University student last month while on duty.

Peyer, a 13-year CHP veteran, is accused of strangling 20-year-old Cara Evelyn Knott after pulling her over Dec. 27 near an isolated Interstate 15 off-ramp bridge. Her body was found the next morning in a creekbed beneath the bridge.

Peyer was arrested Jan. 15, and was being held on $500,000 bail before it was doubled by Municipal Court Judge Herbert J. Exarhos at the request of Deputy Dist. Atty. Joseph Van Orshoven. Defense attorney Robert Grimes had asked Exarhos to reduce the bail to $300,000.

Van Orshoven met with Exarhos and Grimes in chambers before the hearing to discuss new evidence Van Orshoven said was uncovered last week by district attorney’s investigators. Van Orshoven used the new information and expressions of concern by prosecution witnesses over Peyer’s release to argue for a bail increase. He declined to elaborate on the nature of the new evidence, but it was enough to persuade Exarhos to double Peyer’s bail.

“This information was not in our possession when the defendant was last in court,” Van Orshoven said. “But it represents certain factual information that persuaded the judge to double the bail. There has also been anxiety expressed by witnesses having to do with the release of Mr. Peyer into the community.”

Grimes, who also declined to discuss the new evidence presented in chambers, argued, however, that it was insignificant and not enough to warrant an increase in bail.

“The district attorney argued that there was new evidence. However, I don’t think it was anything significant. . . . It was nothing dramatic enough to justify an increase in bail,” Grimes said. “Stuff like this will continue to come in in bits and pieces, but a lot of results in this case are not in yet. . . . There’s still a lot of lab work to be done by both sides.”

In granting the prosecution’s request for a bail increase, Exarhos simply called the new evidence “substantial” and said that “a reasonable bail would be $1 million.”

Grimes said that Peyer’s wife, Karen, was “very unhappy” about the bail increase. Meanwhile, Peyer’s friends and neighbors still believe he is innocent but are unable to post enough in securities to obtain his release on bail, Grimes said.

“One million dollars is too high. A lot of people have put up the equity on their properties. We have about $600,000 in equity that we can pledge, but of course, that is not nearly enough,” said Grimes.

According to state law, Peyer’s friends would have to post $2 million in property in order to meet the $1-million bail.

“The bail is excessive, and we don’t feel that it’s warranted,” said Peyer’s father, Harold. “Craig is not a threat to flee or a threat to the community. I can tell you this based on his exemplary record as a youth and during his 13-year career with the CHP.”

Other supporters expressed shock at Exarhos’ decision to double the bail.

“I doubt seriously if the family would be able to raise that much money,” said Gordon Kerr, spokesman for Peyer’s supporters. “I can tell you they’re down now. They were hoping to keep the bail at what it was, if not lower it, because that was something they figured they could come up with. Now, it’s impossible, I’m sure.”

Judith Rowland, director of legal services for the California Center on Victimology, represented Knott’s family at the hearing. Rowland, a former San Diego County prosecutor, urged Exarhos to revoke all bail for Peyer. She argued that the California Victims Bill of Rights gave the judge the authority to order Peyer held without bail.

“The defendant can be held without bail if the judge is convinced that there is a high presumption of guilt and his release would present a threat to the public safety. Another criteria is if his release could result in great bodily harm to witnesses in the case,” said Rowland.

However, Rowland said that she had no evidence that Peyer has threatened or harassed witnesses in the case, and Van Orshoven declined to comment when asked if Peyer has threatened or harassed potential witnesses.

Several women drivers have come forward with reports that they had been stopped under circumstances similar to those that preceded Knott’s killing.

Cara Knott’s parents, Samuel and Joyce Knott, attended the hearing and issued a brief, written statement after the hearing but declined to answer reporters’ questions.

“We believe in justice and fairness, and we believe in the legal system. We urge you not to ask us to speculate on this case, for we want justice to be done,” the statement said.

Times staff writer Tom Gorman contributed to this story.