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Fatal wreck shuts down westbound lanes of Interstate 10 west of Beaumont early Tuesday

The multi-vehicle wreck happened at about 4:15 a.m. near mile marker 838 about 15 miles west of Beaumont.

JEFFERSON COUNTY — An early morning wreck killed one man and forced the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 to be closed Tuesday.

Ronald Hooker, 55 of Pearland, was killed when the 2015 Nissan passenger vehicle he was driving rear-ended an 18-wheeler at about 4:15 a.m. Tuesday morning west of Beaumont according to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The wreck happened near mile marker 838 about 15 miles west of Beaumont according to the release.

The driver of the 18-wheeler, Luis Morejon, 51, of Spring, was not injured in the wreck.

All westbound traffic was being diverted to Highway 365 following the wreck between a vehicle and a commercial vehicle according to DPS.

Drivers headed west from Beaumont are encouraged to take U.S. Highway 90 as an alternate route.

From a Texas Department of Public Safety news release...

At approximately 4:15a.m., the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) received a report of a multiple vehicle crash on Interstate 10 in Jefferson County. The crash occurred near mile marker 838.

Preliminary reports indicate that a 2003 International truck tractor semi-trailer was traveling westbound in a construction area when it was rear-ended by a 2015 Nissan passenger vehicle.

The driver of the Nissan, a 55-year-old male from Pearland, Texas, was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace Ray Chesson at the scene. His name will not be released until next of kin has been notified.

The driver of the commercial motor vehicle, Luis Morejon, 51, of Spring, Texas, was not injured.

All westbound traffic lanes, near mile marker 838, are closed due to the crash. There is no time estimation as to when the roadway will reopen to traffic.

Motorists, in the area of the crash scene, are being diverted off the Interstate onto FM 365.

DPS encourages motorists traveling westbound on Interstate 10 from Orange County to use US-90 as an alternate travel route.

At this time, there are no additional details to be released.

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