James Martin Morris Arrested After Fatal Upshur County Hit-and-Run Car Crash on US 271 N

Upshur County, Texas (July 24, 2020) – According to DPS, a man has been arrested following a hit-and-run crash that left another man dead on Friday in Upshur County.

James Martin Morris, 57, of Pittsburg, was arrested on Wednesday night.

The deadly accident happened around 11:22 a.m., July 17, on US 271 North, north of Gilmer.

According to a preliminary investigation, a black Dodge Ram pickup truck was traveling northbound in the inside lane of the highway when the driver made an unsafe lane change and rear-ended a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria. The impact pushed the Victoria into the southbound lanes, where it was hit by a 2019 Kenworth truck-tractor and trailer.

The Dodge driver, Morris, fled the scene.

The Victoria driver, Frederick Fountain, 38, of Irving, was taken to UT-Health in Tyler, where he later died.

Morris was arrested on Wednesday, July 22, and was taken to the Upshur County jail. He has been charged with criminally negligent homicide.

The crash remains under investigation. 

We pass our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Frederick Fountain.

“When a person has suffered a grave personal injury in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, the most overwhelming emotion they feel is a sense of injustice. They often ask how such a life-altering event could have happened to them,” attorney Joel A. Gordon said. “The next question usually is, who can help me?” Mr. Gordon added.

A legal advocate can represent an injury victim or the family of a deceased victim. The attorney will file a claim on behalf of the victim and will have the responsibility of citing existing codes, laws, or statues which were violated.

To speak with an attorney,  Click to call: 281-943-5555.