BEAUMONT, Texas — A Port Arthur man is being indicted two years after he was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Christopher Henry James was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter in 2022 after a crash that killed Port Arthur city employee James Addison, 47.
Addison was struck and killed as he rode a motorcycle in the 100 block of Gulfway Drive on July 29, 2022.
Addison, a graduate of Stephen F. Austin High School, was an equipment operator in Port Arthur's solid waste trash division from 2018 until his death.
James was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter shortly after the crash in 2022 but was not indicted until June 5, 2024.
12News contacted Cory Kneeland, Grand Jury Attorney and Chief of Intake for the Jefferson County District Attorney's office, and asked why it took so long for James to be indicted. He said the toxicology results from the DPS lab did not arrive until April. He said this evidence is an essential part of the indictment and they could not move forward before they had it.
The lab results were used as evidence and James was indicted June 5 and an arrest warrant was issued. James was arrested and is awaiting an initial hearing before a judge.
12News has learned that James has four prior felony convictions and could face an enhanced punishment if eventually found guilty of intoxication manslaughter.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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