PORT ARTHUR, Texas — The body of an 80-year-old Beaumont man, who was reported missing on Monday, was found inside his car after it was pulled out of the ship channel in Port Arthur on Tuesday afternoon.
The Port Arthur Interim Deputy Fire Chief Antonio Mitchell confirms to 12News that a car has been pulled out of the ship channel in Port Arthur with the body of a man inside.
Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Joseph Guillory has confirmed that the car belongs to Robert Quinn and that Quinn’s body was in the back seat.
Guillory says that the death is currently being investigated as an accident, and an autopsy has been ordered.
Beaumont Police Department says that Quinn was believed to have dementia.
Port Arthur Police Chief Tim Duriso and Mitchell previously told 12News that they have found a vehicle that is believed to belong to a missing Beaumont man.
On Monday night, witnesses told Port Arthur officers they saw a car drive over the seawall and into the water near Woodworth Blvd and Lakeshore Dr.
Police, firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard continued their search Tuesday in the waters of the Sabine Neches Waterway in Port Arthur for a car believed to belong to a missing Beaumont man.
Monday night investigating officers found the license plate of Quinn’s car, however due to the swift current and tide, the vehicle drifted and sunk fast and made retrieving it very difficult according to a press release from Beaumont Police Department.
Divers resumed their search Tuesday morning for a black 2019 Jaguar that Robert Quinn, 80, of Beaumont, was last seen driving on Monday, according to Chief Duriso. Divers from the Port Arthur Fire Department, JCSO Marine Unit, US Coast Guard and Texas Game Wardens all assisted.
Beaumont Police reported Monday night just before 10 p.m., that they believed that car was the car Quinn was last seen driving. Neither Beaumont or Port Arthur Police have confirmed yet what makes them believe it was Quinn’s car that went into the water.
Quinn, who was last seen at about 2:30 p.m. Monday afternoon on Belvedere Pkwy, is considered by Beaumont Police to be a critical missing person.
The license plate of the black jaguar is TX-NBC 7640, according to Beaumont Police.
Police say he was wearing olive colored, short-sleeve, button-down shirt and khaki shorts.
During the search the waterway is closed to towed vessels but open to ship traffic, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
