HOUSTON – A Harris County Sheriff’s Office Deputy is dead after a motorcycle crash on Wednesday morning, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
The crash, which happened on Aldine Westfield Road and Ciderwood Drive, involved two other vehicles.
Gonzalez said the deputy was off duty and on a motorcycle at the time of the crash.
Later Wednesday morning, Sheriff Gonzalez identified the victim as deputy Ricky Zaragosa, 33.
Please join us in sending condolences to the family of Deputy Ricky Zaragosa, 33. We’re grateful for his three years of service in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. May he Rest in Peace. https://t.co/QekQLgOjnG
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) February 18, 2026
While on the scene, Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman told KPRC 2 reporter Cathy Hernandez that a deputy with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office had been arrested and charged with DWI near the wreck.
Constable Herman also told KPRC 2 that deputy Zaragosa worked for Precinct 4 until 2022, when he left to take the job with HCSO.
It’s not clear if the deputy had anything to do with the crash, but according to Herman, the MCSO deputy was following the HCSO deputy after leaving a bar. Deputies said the MCSO deputy showed signs of intoxication while at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle did stay on the scene, and deputies do not believe the driver was impaired at the time of the crash.
KPRC 2 will update this article when funeral information is made available.