Orange resident, 47, dies in pre-dawn Thursday crash along Interstate 10

Published 11:43 am Thursday, August 3, 2023

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A 47-year-old Orange resident is dead following an early morning crash on Interstate 10.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the crash that occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. Thursday near the 877-mile marker in Orange County.

According to a DPS news release, the preliminary investigation indicates a Ford F-150 was traveling east and the driver failed to drive in a single lane to the right and struck a concrete barrier, causing the truck to overturn in the travel lane.

A secondary crash occurred shortly after, authorities said, when a Freightliner truck semi-trailer was traveling east and struck debris from the initial crash, then struck the overturned Ford.

An Orange County justice of the peace pronounced the driver of the Ford deceased on scene.

He is identified as Ernest Fountain, 47, of Orange.

The driver of the Freightliner, identified as Damon Smith, 50, of Humble, was not injured.

The case remains under investigation by DPS.