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Groves man struck, killed along U.S. 69 just south of Jefferson County's jail after being released from custody

An official said the pedestrian was an inmate who had been released from jail.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — A Groves man who had been released earlier from the Jefferson County Correctional Facility was struck and killed Monday afternoon along U.S. Highway 69 near the jail.

Daniel Montano, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene by Jefferson County Precinct 6 Justice of the Peace Ransom Jones.

Troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the incident at about 2:15 p.m. along the highway near FM 3514 which is less than a mile south of the jail.

Montano was hit by a GMC pickup driven by a 66-year-old Beaumont man according to as news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Montano had been released from custody earlier in the day Chief John Shauberger of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office told the news media but he did not know exactly when Montano was released.

Medical staff from the jail immediately recognized Montano when they arrived to help on the scene according to Shauberger.

From a Texas Department of Public Safety news release: 

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) can confirm that the pedestrian involved in this crash was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace Ransom Jones at the scene.  The deceased victim is a 29-year-old male from Groves, Texas and his name will not be released until next of kin has been notified.

The preliminary DPS crash investigation indicates that a 2011 GMC pickup truck was traveling southbound on US 69 in Jefferson County.  For an unknown reason, the pedestrian was walking in the inside traffic lane of US 69 when he was struck by the pickup truck.

The driver of the GMC pickup truck, a 66-year-old male from Beaumont, was not injured.

All southbound traffic lanes of US 69 remain closed.

All information is preliminary as Troopers work to determine the exact factors that contributed to this fatal crash.

There are no additional details to be released.

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