Twice-deported driver faces federal charges after fatal Las Vegas hit-and-run
A Honduran national who killed a pedestrian in a hit-and-run crash near UNLV last year now faces federal immigration charges after completing his state prison sentence, revealing a troubled history of deportations and drunk driving convictions.
Fatal crash leads to immigration case
Rigoberto Osorio-Merlo, 49, appeared in federal court Friday charged with being a deported alien found in the United States. Court records reveal he had been deported twice before – in 2009 and 2018 – but illegally reentered the country both times.
The charges stem from a July 22, 2024, hit-and-run crash that killed 62-year-old Michael Price (also known as Renee Woods) on East Harmon Avenue near Paradise Road. Osorio-Merlo struck the pedestrian around 12:47 a.m. while Price was crossing outside a marked crosswalk, then fled the scene in his Jeep Compass.
The Nevada Department of Corrections records show Osorio-Merlo was convicted on the reckless driving charge resulting in death, along with failing to stop at the scene of an accident and destroying evidence.
Daughter’s 911 call leads to arrest
The case took a dramatic turn when Osorio-Merlo’s own daughter called police later that day. Officers responded to a domestic dispute at an apartment complex near Tropicana Avenue and Pecos Road around 3 p.m., where the young girl reported her parents were having a heated argument.
According to police reports, the fight erupted because Osorio-Merlo refused to turn himself in for the fatal crash. His wife told investigators she had pleaded with him not to drive after they had been drinking at Silver Sevens casino. When they hit something on the way home, she begged him to stop and later to surrender to police, but he refused.
During his police interview, Osorio-Merlo admitted to being the driver and began crying, saying he was sorry and couldn’t see the pedestrian. Officers found his Jeep with damage to the front right side, hood, and windshield consistent with the collision.
Pattern of dangerous driving
Court records reveal a troubling history of impaired driving. Osorio-Merlo has two prior DUI convictions in Nevada – one in 2011 and another in 2016. Despite these convictions and two deportations, he continued driving without a valid license.
On July 30, 2025, after serving his state prison sentence, Osorio-Merlo was transferred from the Nevada Department of Corrections to ICE custody based on an immigration detainer.
Federal consequences loom
The federal immigration charge carries serious consequences. If convicted of being a deported alien found in the United States, Osorio-Merlo faces:
- Maximum sentence of two years in federal prison
- One year of supervised release
- $250,000 fine
- $100 special assessment
- Likely permanent deportation
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 4 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about repeat immigration violators who commit serious crimes. Price’s death marked the 87th traffic fatality in Metro’s jurisdiction in 2024, adding to Las Vegas’s persistent traffic safety challenges.
Image Sources: https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/las-vegas-boy-in-critical-condition-after-being-struck-by-car-police-say-3425917/
Category: Local News
Subcategory: Crime & Safety
Date: 08/18/2025
