Houston is reeling from a fatal accident involving a former Precinct 6 deputy constable that left one man dead. The collision occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Saturday on Canal Street, claiming the life of a 28-year-old male whose identity is currently withheld, pending verification from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, according to a City of Houston news release.
The incident unfolded when a white Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by the off-duty deputy identified as Rigo Vivar, traveled the wrong way in the westbound lanes and collided with a silver Dodge Avenger, the Houston Police Department's Vehicular Crimes Division Sergeant V. Vo and Officer T. Pham reported; the driver of the Tahoe sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital while the Avenger's driver was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Houston Fire Department paramedics.
In a heart-wrenching account obtained by KHOU, local resident Antonio Briones recounted the immediate aftermath of the crash, describing how he and another witness attempted to rescue the trapped victim, later identified as his neighbor, Ricardo "Ricky" Resendez Jr. "I started trying to rip the door to try and see if we can get him," Briones told KHOU, sadly revealing that despite their efforts, Ricky was beyond help.
Briones hopes that this tragedy acts as a catalyst for improvements along Canal Street, including the implementation of speed bumps and extra lighting as he said in his statement to KHOU “We need some sort of deterrence right here on Canal Street. It's a two-way street." In the meantime, Houston police continue their investigation, the future of any charges against Vivar remains uncertain and the Resendez family has established a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses.
