Intoxication crash kills Alice woman, driver arrested in Jim Wells County

An Alice woman is killed in a single-vehicle crash early Sunday in Jim Wells County, and troopers have arrested the driver on charges related to driving while intoxicated and intoxication manslaughter, authorities say. The collision occurred on a southbound roadway when the vehicle crossed over the eastbound lane, left the roadway and struck a power line pole.

Texas Highway Patrol staff sergeant Rob Mallory said the impact deployed the vehicle’s airbags and left occupants with serious injuries. A passenger was transported to Christus Spohn Hospital in Alice and later died from her injuries. Troopers determined the driver was intoxicated and placed him under arrest on charges tied to intoxication and the resulting death. Troopers withheld the names of those involved pending family notification and the ongoing investigation.

Troopers from the Alice Highway Patrol Office are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash and are asking anyone with information to contact the highway patrol. The department’s active probe will include reconstructing the vehicle’s path, examining impairment evidence and collecting witness statements to support potential criminal and civil proceedings.

The incident underscores persistent public-safety issues tied to impaired driving on county roads. For residents of Alice and surrounding communities, a crash on a roadway that crosses lanes and strikes infrastructure also raises concerns about traffic engineering, lighting and shoulder conditions that can compound the severity of a single-vehicle loss of control. Local enforcement resources and county-level public-safety priorities will shape how quickly investigators and prosecutors move from arrest to charging decisions and, if warranted, trial.

Beyond the immediate criminal case, the crash is likely to prompt renewed community conversations about prevention: increased late-night patrols, public education about the risks of impaired driving, and coordination between county roads officials and emergency responders to reduce hazards where crashes have occurred. Christus Spohn Hospital in Alice continues to receive injured patients from Jim Wells County incidents, and local first responders remain central to stabilizing crash victims in remote stretches of county road.

What happens next is an investigation and, potentially, a criminal prosecution that will clarify the facts and offer accountability. For neighbors, the practical implications are clear: report any information you have to the highway patrol, be vigilant on county roads, and participate in community steps to reduce impaired driving.