Fatal accident shuts down Hwy. 12 northeast of Vidor

The crash involved a car and 18-wheeler.

Author: KBMT; Published: 4:43 PM CST January 6, 2020, Updated: 8:23 PM CST January 6, 2020

ORANGE COUNTY, Texas — One person is dead following a head-on collision northeast of Vidor on Highway 12 Monday afternoon. 

Vidor Police Chief Rod Carroll said it involved a car and 18-wheeler. One person is the car has died, and the 18-wheeler driver was taken to a Beaumont hospital with injuries that aren't expected to be life-threatening. 

Witnesses say the car was traveling eastbound, and drifted into the westbound lane according to police. It happened about 4:20 p.m. 

Traffic was shut down in both directions on Highway 12 near Linscomb Rd. due to the crash. 

The driver's name hasn't been released yet. 

This is a developing story. Stay with 12News for updates. 

From a Vidor Police news release: 

On Monday, January 6, 2020, at approximately 4:20 PM, the Vidor Police Department Dispatch Center received a call of a major accident in the 7000 block of Hwy. 12 involving a passenger vehicle and an 18 wheeler truck. The preliminary investigation shows that the passenger vehicle was travelling eastbound on Hwy. 12 and the 18 wheeler truck was traveling westbound on Hwy. 12. According to witnesses, the passenger vehicle began to drift into the westbound lane causing a head-on collision with the 18 wheeler truck.

The driver of the passenger vehicle was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace Rodney Price on-scene. The driver of the 18 wheeler truck was transported by Acadian Ambulance Service to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The accident is still under investigation.

The name and hometown of the deceased will be release tomorrow after family has been notified