JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — Authorities are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash on Highway 124 near Gaulding Farms in Hamshire. The incident was reported shortly before 3 p.m.

According to Justice of the Peace Justin Chesson, the vehicle, a Ford Explorer traveling south, left the highway, struck a tree, and flipped over. The driver, a man from the Houston area, was pronounced dead at the scene. Chesson has ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Capt. Crystal Holmes of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is advising drivers to avoid the area due to expected traffic delays. Emergency crews from the Hamshire Volunteer Fire Department and ESD #5 responded to the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the circumstances leading up to the crash.