Orange County man charged in 2 intoxication manslaughter deaths set for court

Published 12:32 am Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A status hearing for an Orange County man charged in two intoxication manslaughter cases is set to go before a judge this week.

The status hearing is set for 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the 163rd District Court. This will mark the first time Jerrod Lee Watkins has been required to appear in court.

Watkins is charged in the June 13, 2020, deaths of Jillian Blanchard, 20, of Port Neches, and Robert Jackson, 45, of Bridge City.

Jackson was struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle on Ferry Road in Bridge City.

Blanchard was killed a few minutes later when a Ford F-150 truck and her car crashed head-on in Orangefield.

Authorities say Watkins was driving the truck.