The fatal incident occurred on the evening of Monday, January 19, 2026, on the Interstate 30 south frontage road in Hopkins County, Texas. Authorities were called to a specific location near mile marker 118 at approximately 6:45 p.m. following reports of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. A woman had initially pulled over to the side of this roadway due to a flat tire, prompting her family members to drive to the scene to provide assistance.
When family members arrived to help the stranded woman, they parked their vehicle in the eastbound ditch adjacent to the frontage road. Among them was 71-year-old Michael Wayne King, of Mena, Arkansas, who was attempting to aid the woman. At the time of the collision, King was crossing the westbound lanes of the frontage road while carrying a spare tire intended for the disabled vehicle.
King was struck by a westbound pickup truck while crossing the roadway. The impact proved fatal; emergency medical services responded to the scene, but King succumbed to his injuries. The Hopkins County Justice of the Peace pronounced Michael Wayne King deceased at the location of the crash, with the time of death officially listed at 7:05 p.m.
Initial information indicates the driver of the westbound pickup truck remained at the scene following the collision and cooperated with authorities. The investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety is active and ongoing to determine all contributing factors. DPS officials have stated that no further information will be released at this time while the investigation proceeds.
As a law enforcement agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety is required to submit a formal crash report to the Texas Department of Transportation for any accident resulting in a fatality. These official reports are not publicly available online but can be obtained by directly involved parties or their representatives through TxDOT’s purchase system for a nominal fee.
The community of Hopkins County and the family of Michael Wayne King are left to mourn the loss of a man who was tragically killed while performing a simple act of roadside assistance for a family member. The Texas Department of Transportation reminds all drivers and pedestrians that safety on high-speed roadways and their frontage roads is paramount, as these environments are extremely hazardous for anyone outside of a vehicle.
