December 2, 2025 - U.S. Highway 96 North near FM 2026 was the scene of a crash incident that caused injury to two people involved on Sunday, November 30, 2025 at 3:25am.
When emergency personnel arrived at the scene of the crash, the passenger vehicle involved was straddling a drainage ditch beside the roadway.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), a red 2015 Nissan Altima driven by Justin [Cody] Fontaine, 42, of Center was traveling south on U.S. Highway 96. It is reported that a passenger in the vehicle grabbed the wheel and in effect caused Fontaine to lose control of the vehicle which subsequently traveled off the roadway to the right where it struck an underground cable marker box and came to rest in a ditch.
Fontaine, and his passenger Brianna Davis, 25, of Center, were transported from the scene by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
According to DPS, this is an ongoing investigation and no further information available at this time and no citations were reported to have been issued.
Center Fire Department, Center Police Department and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department personnel assisted at the scene.
