Topline: Court records show the suspects father turned her in to authorities after she admitted being involved, though she stopped cooperating once her mother arrived at the station.
Published: November 7, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Vivian Rose Padilla (via El Paso Police)
EL PASO, TX — Nearly two months after a deadly hit-and-run in Central El Paso claimed the life of 52-year-old bicyclist David Carmine O’Connor, police have arrested 19-year-old Vivian Rose Padilla in connection with the crash, according to the City of El Paso.
Padilla, a resident of Mission Valley, was taken into custody on Nov. 3 by the El Paso Police Department’s Special Traffic Investigations Unit.
Authorities said she has been charged with collision involving death and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility under a $50,000 bond, as stated in the city’s news release.
The fatal collision happened around 1:38 a.m. on Sept. 7, when O’Connor, a Transportation Security Administration employee, was riding his electric-assisted bicycle along the 4600 block of Pershing Drive.
According to police, he was wearing a reflective vest and had lights on his bike when he was struck from behind by a white 2017 Kia Soul. The driver did not stop to render aid, and O’Connor died from his injuries at the scene.
According to KFOX14/CBS4, Padilla’s father turned his daughter in to police about 12 hours after the crash, walking into police headquarters around 1:35 p.m. that same day and telling investigators, “She’s the one that hit that person yesterday.” Court documents cited by KTSM confirm that Padilla arrived with her father and other family members to speak with police, but she stopped cooperating once her mother and her mother’s boyfriend arrived and advised her not to answer questions without an attorney.
Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Padilla’s vehicle.
According to KTSM, authorities found broken car parts at the crash site that “perfectly” matched her white Kia Soul. Police also discovered red stains resembling blood on the car’s rear passenger door, as well as inside the vehicle. A red shirt, a sunshade with similar stains, and a laptop were also seized, according to the court documents.
Data retrieved from Padilla’s cellphone suggested she was using it during and after the time of the crash, investigators told KTSM.
Padilla’s arrest marks El Paso’s 42nd traffic fatality of 2025, compared with 46 at this time last year, according to city records.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Vivian Rose Padilla (via El Paso Police)
EL PASO, TX — Nearly two months after a deadly hit-and-run in Central El Paso claimed the life of 52-year-old bicyclist David Carmine O’Connor, police have arrested 19-year-old Vivian Rose Padilla in connection with the crash, according to the City of El Paso.
Padilla, a resident of Mission Valley, was taken into custody on Nov. 3 by the El Paso Police Department’s Special Traffic Investigations Unit.
Authorities said she has been charged with collision involving death and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility under a $50,000 bond, as stated in the city’s news release.
The fatal collision happened around 1:38 a.m. on Sept. 7, when O’Connor, a Transportation Security Administration employee, was riding his electric-assisted bicycle along the 4600 block of Pershing Drive.
According to police, he was wearing a reflective vest and had lights on his bike when he was struck from behind by a white 2017 Kia Soul. The driver did not stop to render aid, and O’Connor died from his injuries at the scene.
According to KFOX14/CBS4, Padilla’s father turned his daughter in to police about 12 hours after the crash, walking into police headquarters around 1:35 p.m. that same day and telling investigators, “She’s the one that hit that person yesterday.” Court documents cited by KTSM confirm that Padilla arrived with her father and other family members to speak with police, but she stopped cooperating once her mother and her mother’s boyfriend arrived and advised her not to answer questions without an attorney.
Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Padilla’s vehicle.
According to KTSM, authorities found broken car parts at the crash site that “perfectly” matched her white Kia Soul. Police also discovered red stains resembling blood on the car’s rear passenger door, as well as inside the vehicle. A red shirt, a sunshade with similar stains, and a laptop were also seized, according to the court documents.
Data retrieved from Padilla’s cellphone suggested she was using it during and after the time of the crash, investigators told KTSM.
Padilla’s arrest marks El Paso’s 42nd traffic fatality of 2025, compared with 46 at this time last year, according to city records.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Teen Arrested Two Months After Fatal Hit-and-Run That Killed TSA Employee
Court records show the suspects father turned her in to authorities after she admitted being involved, though she stopped cooperating once her mother arrived at the station.
By Jacob Charles
Published: November 7, 2025 8:00 am ET
Vivian Rose Padilla (via El Paso Police)
EL PASO, TX — Nearly two months after a deadly hit-and-run in Central El Paso claimed the life of 52-year-old bicyclist David Carmine O’Connor, police have arrested 19-year-old Vivian Rose Padilla in connection with the crash, according to the City of El Paso.
Padilla, a resident of Mission Valley, was taken into custody on Nov. 3 by the El Paso Police Department’s Special Traffic Investigations Unit.
Authorities said she has been charged with collision involving death and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility under a $50,000 bond, as stated in the city’s news release.
The fatal collision happened around 1:38 a.m. on Sept. 7, when O’Connor, a Transportation Security Administration employee, was riding his electric-assisted bicycle along the 4600 block of Pershing Drive.
According to police, he was wearing a reflective vest and had lights on his bike when he was struck from behind by a white 2017 Kia Soul. The driver did not stop to render aid, and O’Connor died from his injuries at the scene.
According to KFOX14/CBS4, Padilla’s father turned his daughter in to police about 12 hours after the crash, walking into police headquarters around 1:35 p.m. that same day and telling investigators, “She’s the one that hit that person yesterday.” Court documents cited by KTSM confirm that Padilla arrived with her father and other family members to speak with police, but she stopped cooperating once her mother and her mother’s boyfriend arrived and advised her not to answer questions without an attorney.
Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Padilla’s vehicle.
According to KTSM, authorities found broken car parts at the crash site that “perfectly” matched her white Kia Soul. Police also discovered red stains resembling blood on the car’s rear passenger door, as well as inside the vehicle. A red shirt, a sunshade with similar stains, and a laptop were also seized, according to the court documents.
Data retrieved from Padilla’s cellphone suggested she was using it during and after the time of the crash, investigators told KTSM.
Padilla’s arrest marks El Paso’s 42nd traffic fatality of 2025, compared with 46 at this time last year, according to city records.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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