The 2026 Spring Break season in Port Aransas has taken a devastating turn following a high speed collision that left a young man fighting for his life.
Witnesses reported seeing a Jeep filled with spring breakers traveling down Highway 361 at speeds estimated near 75 miles per hour on Saturday evening. Shocking video footage captured from a nearby vehicle shows a shirtless 22 year old passenger dancing on the roof of the moving Jeep just seconds before the driver lost control.
The Jeep slammed into a Tesla near Access Road 1A with such violence that the man on the roof was launched from the vehicle and thrown onto the pavement.
The occupants of the Tesla captured the heartbreaking aftermath on camera while navigating the heavily congested holiday traffic.
They described a disturbing scene where the other passengers from the Jeep appeared to be attempting to coordinate their stories while their friend lay critically injured on the ground.
Emergency responders rushed the 22 year old to a hospital in Corpus Christi where he remains in critical condition.
Texas Department of Public Safety officials confirmed that the driver of the Jeep was arrested at the scene for Driving While Intoxicated involving serious bodily injury.
This life threatening crash adds to a weekend described by local residents as a period of absolute chaos for the coastal community. Beyond the traffic accidents, Port Aransas has seen a surge in violent crime including a mass shooting on the beach that resulted in multiple injuries and led to the arrest of a 17 year old suspect.
With hundreds of arrests already processed for public intoxication and disorderly conduct, the local debate has intensified over whether the city should implement stricter holiday closures.
Many residents argue that the current level of lawlessness has become an unacceptable price for being a top spring break destination.