A man believed to be in his mid-40s and from the Houston area was pronounced dead at the scene after a violent crash on Gulfway Drive in Port Arthur Friday night, and two other people were injured, one of them airlifted by medical helicopter. The wreck shut down a stretch of the busy roadway for hours while firefighters worked to free a trapped victim and investigators combed the scene for clues.
According to East Texas Banner, Port Arthur Police Chief Timothy Duriso said the crash happened around 9 p.m. Friday in the 4500 block of Gulfway Drive. The deceased man’s identity had not yet been released as of the report. A female victim was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital for treatment, the outlet reported.
Jaws of Life Used to Free Trapped Victim
Witnesses told the outlet that the colliding vehicles sent one vehicle careening into a nearby parking lot, where it struck a parked car. One passenger vehicle involved sustained extensive damage, including a crushed passenger compartment and destruction to its roof and body, per the same account. Port Arthur firefighters used hydraulic rescue equipment, commonly known as the Jaws of Life, to extricate a victim from the wreckage.
Emergency personnel worked throughout the night as investigators examined the scene and gathered evidence, the report states. Gulfway Drive remained closed for several hours during the investigation, with a community alert notifying residents of the closure. The road did not reopen until approximately 3 a.m. Saturday.
Investigation Continues as Police Seek Witnesses
The circumstances surrounding the fatal collision remain under investigation. Duriso said investigators are continuing to follow leads to determine exactly how the crash unfolded, and authorities have asked any witnesses or people with video footage of the crash to come forward and assist. East Texas Banner said it will provide additional information as it becomes available.
A Troubled Stretch of Road
Friday’s crash adds to a string of serious incidents on Gulfway Drive in recent years. In March 2025, 70-year-old Deborah Henton was struck and killed in the same general area of the road, though in her case the driver stopped, according to FOX 4 Beaumont. In December 2025, 47-year-old Latirsa Jacobs was struck in the 3600 block of Gulfway Drive shortly before 6 p.m. on a Monday, per KFDM.
KFDM reported a hit-and-run at about 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 9, 2026, between the 5300 and 5400 blocks of Gulfway Drive. FOX 4 Beaumont identified the woman as 64-year-old Kimberly Viator and reported that paramedics took her to The Medical Center of Southeast Texas, where she died. Chief Duriso has also said Port Arthur will work with the Texas Department of Transportation to help improve lighting along the corridor, a stated plan that followed Viator’s death in a Gulfway Drive hit-and-run, FOX 4 Beaumont reported. Viator’s daughter later started a petition seeking signatures from people who want the lighting improved, according to the same report. It is not established whether any of these earlier incidents are connected to Friday’s fatal crash.
