Tensions flare in second day of trial of former Missouri City officer

Tensions rise in manslaughter trial for former Missouri City officer

A new legal battle had the potential to stop the trial of a former Missouri City officer accused of killing three in a 2024 crash. FOX 26's Angie Rodriguez explains what happened in the courtroom during Day 2 of the trial. 

MISSOURI CITY, Texas - Tensions reached a boiling point Thursday in the Fort Bend County Justice Center during Day Two of the manslaughter trial for former Missouri City police officer Blademir Enrique Viveros. 

Trial continues in Day 2 of former Missouri City Police Officer Blademir Enrique Viveros

Several witnesses were called to testify Thursday morning, including the following.

Interim Missouri City Police Chief Kevin Burleson

During his testimony, the Chief was questioned about several procedures when it comes to Missouri City Police policy.

The Defense highlighted what they believed to be a ‘conflict’ between local policy and federal standards regarding emergency response. 

They argued that while Missouri City PD policy mandates the use of lights and sirens, federal transportation code allows officers to deactivate them during a "Priority 1" call, which is the type of robbery call that former Officer Viveros was responding to at the time of the crash.

To support this, the defense referenced a previous witness, Missouri City Records Supervisor Paul Wierzbicki, who allegedly stated in body camera video that Viveros' decision to drive without them "made sense" given the circumstances—though the Interim Chief testified he had no memory of that conversation.

Trial begins for former Missouri City officer charged with manslaughter

Opening statements began on Wednesday in the case against a former Missouri City police officer accused of crashing his patrol care killing three, including a man in his own back seat. FOX 26's Angie Rodriguez has the latest. 

The defense then revealed that they were only in possession of the termination investigation for Supervisor Sergant Argueta, not Viveros. While the Interim Chief testified that he had reviewed termination reports for both officers, the defense maintained they were never provided with Viveros's specific documents.

The Missouri City Attorney countered that the defense had failed to subpoena those specific records, explaining that while both officers fall under the same case number, individual investigators handled their cases separately, resulting in distinct sets of documentation. 

The defense argued they only discovered the existence of these separate, Viveros-specific records through the Chief's testimony Thursday morning.

Before lunch, the State was able to provide the documentation over to the defense.

Harris County Medical Examiner, Dr. Jesus Rico Castillo 

The state called a forensic pathology expert to the stand. The medical examiner, Dr. Castillo, testified regarding the autopsy of Michael Hawkins, who was pronounced dead on January 10, 2025, after being transported from Memorial Hospital in Katy. 

Hawkins was in Viveros' back seat when the patrol car was involved in the accident. Hawkins was originally transported to the hospital after the accident back in June 2024.

According to the testimony from Dr. Castillo, Hawkins suffered severe blunt force trauma to the head during the crash, which initially left him quadriplegic. The medical examiner confirmed that Hawkins' death was a result of complications from those blunt force injuries and the resulting quadriplegia, officially ruling the manner of death as accidental. 

The defense declined to cross-examine the witness.

Texas DPS Trooper, Darius Later

Texas DPS Trooper Darius Later, a nine-year veteran of the Texas Highway Patrol, testified about his role in the crash investigation. 

Lauder, who was called to the scene immediately following the accident, explained how physical evidence on the road helped investigators reconstruct the event.

By analyzing road markings, Lauder was able to identify the exact point of impact and trace the vehicles' movements from the initial curb strike to where they ultimately came to rest in the median. 

Several photos from the Texas DPS investigation were presented to the jury to illustrate these findings.

What's next:

Witness testimony is expected to continue Friday morning.