Basic Facts
Crash date: April 19, 2026
Crash location: 1000 block of 23rd Street in Galveston, TX
People involved:
- Matthew Hayes, 41
- Unidentified driver, 17
Do authorities suspect alcohol played a role in this crash? Yes
Did authorities recommend criminal charges? Yes
Do authorities suspect a product defect caused the crash? Unknown
Accident Report
Galveston, TX — April 19, 2026, Matthew Hayes was killed in an alleged drunk driver accident at about 6:45 p.m. in the 1000 block of 23rd Street.
Authorities said a man had been laying in the grass near 23rd Street when a Ram pickup hit him and continued east into the alley, striking the corner of a building as it sped away.
The man, 41-year-old Galveston resident Matthew Hayes, died after being transported to a local hospital, according to authorities.
The pickup driver was arrested after Galveston police tracked the vehicle to the ferry landing, authorities said. The 17-year-old Missouri City resident was jailed on charges of collision involving death and driving while intoxicated.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Galveston County crash at this time.
How Did This Accident Occur?
The driver in this hit-and-run crash reported has been charged with driving while intoxicated. If tests prove that he had alcohol in his system, the investigation should expand to look into where he had been drinking before the crash.
Under Texas law, alcohol providers can share responsibility for injuries caused by someone who was served while obviously intoxicated. This is an angle that should be pursued so the victim’s family knows everyone who might have played a role in this crash, but unfortunately most law enforcement agencies do not devote the necessary investigative resources to connecting the dots from the accident scene back to the source of the alcohol provider. That is why many families opt to bring in outside investigators.
Do you know anything that could aid in this investigation? Let us know in the comment section.
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