MAJOR ACCIDENT, ALCOHOL SUSPECTED, ALABAMA COUSHATTA COUNTRY TEXAS, 01/20/24...

Major Accident on 190 East, Alcohol Suspected, ALABAMA COUSHATTA COUNTRY, January 20, 2024 - At approximately 2:56 pm on January 20, 2024, a maroon 2019 Ford Explorer, driven by Joseph Abate, 74, of Houston, was east-bound on US-190 East (less than a mile east of FM-1276). Suddenly, a west-bound silver 2019 Chevy Equinox, driven by Gilbert Thompson, 30, of Livingston, veered over the center line causing a glancing head on collision with Abate's vehicle. The impact caused Abate's vehicle to leave the pavement to the right and continue down an embankment where it came to rest. Thompson's vehicle spun around facing east and came to rest on the shoulder of the west-bound lane. Allegiance Ambulance service was dispatched to the scene along with the Alabama Coushatta and Livingston Volunteer Fire Departments, the Alambama Coushatta Police Department, the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Troopers Corporal Ramey Bass and Cotye Lowrie with the Texas Highway Patrol. Abate and his wife were entrapped as was Thompson. Firemen were able to rescue all three. Abate and his wife were both transported by ambulance to CHI Livingston Memorial Hospital. An Air Life medical helicopter landed on 190 and flew Thompson from the scene. All traffic on 190 was blocked during investigation, flight operations, and cleanup. Thompson had cans of beer in his vehicle and there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from Thompson's person. Pending an investigation, Thompson may be facing serious alcohol related charges. The vehicles were recovered by LakeView Towing and Kwik Tow (both out of Livingston). This accident remains under investigation by the Texas Highway Patrol.