On the evening of July 13, 2023, a tragic accident occurred on SH 1985, west of SH 124, near East Bay Bayou, resulting in the loss of two young lives and critical injuries to another individual.
The incident involved a car colliding with the back of a large farm tractor that was pulling a piece of farm equipment. As a result of the collision, the car caught fire, leading to the unfortunate demise of JaVion West and Travon Williams at the scene. Gage Leath, identified as the driver of the car, was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston for immediate medical attention.
Numerous reports of an “attempt to locate a hazardous vehicle” flooded the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office. Witness accounts indicated that the vehicle was racing westward on SH 124 towards Anahuac, reaching speeds of at least 100 mph. The calls started pouring in around 8:30 pm, and the accident occurred shortly thereafter.
Gage Lloyd Leath, who is 18 years old, was arrested on November 22, 2024, and is facing charges of manslaughter. Leath was taken into custody and is currently being held in the Chambers County Jail. Notably, they detained him without requiring him to post a bond. However, on November 24, 2024, he was released from custody.
According to records, Leath has received deferred adjudication. As part of his sentence, he must complete 240 hours of community service. He is also required to undergo deep lung breath analysis and random urinalysis testing. In addition, he must wear a SCRAM device, a tamper-resistant ankle bracelet that measures his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) through perspiration testing. MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) also mandates Leath to attend a Victim Impact Panel course. This course aims to educate individuals convicted of alcohol-related offenses about the consequences of their actions on victims and society as a whole. Furthermore, a probation officer has the authority to visit his home at any time.
Leath has been charged with manslaughter, rather than intoxicated manslaughter, without any explanation. Unconfirmed sources say Leath will only serve time in jail on weekends.
