SAN JACINTO COUNTY — During the early morning hours of Sept. 25, night shift patrol deputies with the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, along with Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers, responded to the 14300 block of U.S. Highway 59 between Shepherd and Cleveland for a possible fatality.
First responders located a middle-aged Hispanic male who had been struck in the roadway by a tractor-trailer. The male was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives responded and began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The deceased was later identified as 46-year-old Jose Gonzalez Rodriguez of Cleveland.
According to reports, Rodriguez had reportedly been involved in an altercation with family members earlier in the evening. Investigators also reviewed video footage captured by the tractor-trailer’s onboard dash camera. The footage showed Rodriguez deliberately entering the path of the approaching tractor-trailer immediately prior to the collision. Based upon the evidence reviewed at this stage of the investigation, his actions appeared to be intentional.
Investigators have not located a note or other information explaining what may have led Rodriguez to take these actions. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation by the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone who may have information regarding Rodriguez’s whereabouts, activities, or interactions prior to the incident is encouraged to contact the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office at (936) 653-4367 and ask to speak with a detective. The county’s official website lists (936) 653-4367 as the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency/main number.
Sheriff Sam Houston and the members of the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office extend their condolences to the family and loved ones of Rodriguez during this difficult time.
