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Ricardo “Ricky” Resendez

Age : 28

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 08/31/2024

Location : 2727 Canal Street at North Live Oak Street

City : Houston

County : Harris

State : Texas

Agency : Harris County Precinct 6 Constable’s Office

Officer(s) :Rigo Villeda Vivar

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed in wrong-way crash caused by off-duty deputy constable

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/24/2024, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Ricardo “Ricky” Resendez Jr., 28, was driving home from his job at George Bush Intercontinental Airport when off-duty Harris County Precinct 6 Deputy Constable Rigo Villeda Vivar crashed into Resendez’s vehicle at Canal Street and North Live Oak Street in Houston’s Second Ward. Resendez was approximately one block from the home he shared with his family. He died at the scene.
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Houston police determined that Vivar was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Canal Street when his Chevrolet Tahoe struck Resendez’s Dodge Avenger as Resendez was turning onto North Live Oak Street. Vivar was off duty but was in uniform and traveling to work. Precinct 6 initially described the Tahoe as Vivar’s personal vehicle.
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A search warrant obtained during the subsequent investigation provided substantially more detail about Vivar’s driving. Vivar told investigators that he cut around traffic and drove into the wrong-way lanes. He said he activated emergency lights while doing so. An eyewitness, however, told investigators that Vivar appeared to be traveling as fast as 80 mph in the 30-mph zone and that the witness did not see emergency lights activated.
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Harris County Precinct 6 terminated Vivar’s employment the day after the crash. Houston police investigated the collision, while Resendez’s family repeatedly called for criminal charges and questioned why Vivar had not been arrested.
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The investigation remained unresolved publicly for months. ABC13 reported in March 2025 that Precinct 6 had withheld records concerning Vivar and the crash despite a Texas Attorney General determination that at least some requested records were subject to release. ABC13 reported filing approximately two dozen public-records requests, including 18 with Precinct 6. The agency initially quoted unusually high costs for fulfilling some requests and later relied on the ongoing investigation to withhold records.
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The case eventually resulted in criminal charges. On 06/30/2025, a Harris County grand jury indicted Vivar for manslaughter in Resendez’s death. Vivar was arrested on 08/05/2025 and booked into the Harris County Jail. His bond was set at $100,000. Court reporting identified his full name as Rigo Villeda Vivar.
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Resendez was born June 9, 1996, and grew up in Houston’s historic Second Ward. He graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in kinesiology and was working at Bush Airport while establishing a career in sports medicine. His family described him as deeply devoted to his parents and three sisters.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND
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Rigo Villeda Vivar was a Harris County Precinct 6 deputy constable at the time of the fatal crash. Although off duty, he was in uniform and traveling to work. Precinct 6 terminated him on 08/25/2024, one day after Resendez was killed.
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ABC13 reported that Resendez’s family said it had learned of a history of professional and personal problems involving Vivar. Former colleagues and the family also raised allegations concerning Vivar’s driving record. When ABC13 questioned Vivar about those allegations, he denied them and referred further questions to his attorney.
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Vivar was subsequently indicted for manslaughter on 06/30/2025. He was arrested on 08/05/2025, nearly a year after Resendez’s death, and a judge set his bond at $100,000.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-deadly-wrong-way-crash-deputy-constable/285-05dbf86f-97fc-40a3-be94-e436ddeed8af
https://abc13.com/post/ricky-resendez-jr-death-months-after-pct-6-deputy-constable-accused-deadly-wrong-crash-law-enforcement-avoids-questions/15591968/
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2024/11/26/watch-live-family-demands-justice-for-man-killed-in-crash-with-off-duty-deputy/
https://abc13.com/post/investigation-continues-deadly-wrong-crash-involving-precinct-6-constable-deputy-rigo-vivar-was-fired/15232330/
https://abc13.com/post/ex-harris-county-pct-6-deputy-constable-rigo-vivar-could-face-charges-crash-killed-ricky-resendez-jr-canal-street/15376726/
https://abc13.com/post/13-investigates-precinct-6-withholds-records-fatal-crash-despite-texas-attorney-general-ruling-release/16063529/
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/08/05/former-harris-county-pct-6-deputy-indicted-for-manslaughter-in-fatal-second-ward-wrong-way-crash/
https://abc13.com/post/former-harris-county-precinct-6-deputy-constable-custody-deadly-wrong-crash-2024-records-show/17452805/
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/ricardo-resendez-obituary?id=56105518