Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Employees with the City of Port Arthur are mourning the loss of one of their own that was killed Tuesday in a crash

Elton Slater died in the multi-vehicle wreck that occurred at 12:11 p.m. in the 4000 block of Texas 73 near 9th Avenue.

Slater had worked for the city for more than 33 years, City Manager Ron Burton said.

“He was a good man, a good team player, a very exceptional team player,” Burton said.

Slater worked in the city’s service center on H.O. Mills Boulevard and was responsible for maintenance of the building; servicing small equipment such as generators, lawnmowers and weed eaters; and keeping the compound clean of which Burton said he “did an exceptional job.”

Burton said Slater had a good sense of humor and was well liked.

Staff was notified of the death Tuesday and they shared stories of Slater. One such story was of how he would feed a stray dog during his lunch.

Informing the staff was difficult, Burton said.

“It was a very tough moment, heartfelt, a very sad moment.”