A 23-year-old man from Vidor was killed Friday night when the Polaris utility vehicle he was riding skidded into a ditch and overturned on FM 1131 near County Road 878, about eight miles south of Evadale in Jasper County. The Texas Department of Public Safety says he was traveling north in the east barrow ditch around 8 p.m. when he lost control, entered a side skid, and the UTV flipped, killing him at the scene.
According to Fox 4 Beaumont, DPS has not yet released the victim's name pending notification of next of kin. A Jasper County Sheriff's Office deputy was the first to reach the scene, according to Sheriff Chuck Havard, with DPS and county deputies remaining on site as the investigation continued. A justice of the peace has ordered an autopsy. Emergency dispatch records reviewed by 12NewsNow show a sheriff's deputy was dispatched to the scene near FM 1131 and County Road 878 at approximately 7:15 p.m. Friday, where the driver was pronounced dead.
A Rural Road With a History of Rollovers
FM 1131 is a rural connector road winding through southern Jasper County near Evadale, roughly 13 miles north of Vidor across county lines. The stretch cuts through timberland and scattered residential properties, and Friday's crash involved a UTV in a roadside barrow ditch — even though such riding isn't necessarily legal.
Under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 551A, off-highway vehicles including UTVs are generally barred from operating on public streets, roads, and highways, with narrow exceptions such as agricultural use within 25 miles or explicit local government authorization, according to guidance published by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. State law also requires helmets for riders under 21 and for adults who do not meet one of the two exemption conditions.
Recent Fatal Crashes in Jasper County
Friday's crash is not an isolated incident for the area. A 23-year-old driver was killed and two passengers hospitalized in May when an off-road vehicle overturned on County Road 797 near Buna in southern Jasper County, according to Grossman Law Offices.
Manufacturer Recalls and Unanswered Questions
It remains unclear whether any mechanical issue played a role in Friday's crash, and DPS has not indicated whether the victim was wearing a helmet or restraint. The Texas Department of Public Safety's crash reconstruction remains ongoing, and the victim's identity has not yet been released.
