A car near Davis burst into flames with two men trapped inside on Saturday, January 18. Luckily, brave bystanders rushed to the car to pull the two men out.
According to Woodland California Highway Patrol, the driver of a BMW lost control of the wheel and crashed into a utility pole on Pole Line Road.
One of the bystanders, Peter Dileanis, was driving when he noticed black smoke coming from the car which was engulfed in flames. He pulled over right away and got out of his car to help.
“At one point I was looking and thinking, they are going to burn alive,” Dileanis told CBS13. “I have no doubt they wouldn’t have survived. It was a matter of seconds after they were pulled out of the car where it didn’t explode but it got more and more intense.”
Dileanis said by the time he arrives, four other people were running toward the car to help pull the men out of the burning car.
After several attempts, the group broke the car windows with a hammer and was able to pull the men to safety.
Dileanis told CBS13 the fire came so close to them that his own car was melted by the flames.
"They put their health at risk," Dileanis said of the four other rescuers. "...they could've been burned pretty badly and they went all the way and got them out of the car."
CHP identified the driver as 25-year-old Zachary Coker of Citrus Heights and the passenger as Ty Burks who is also 25. They believe alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, according to CBS13.
Coker sustained major injuries and was transported to UC Davis Medical Center where he was also arrested. Burks sustained moderate injuries.
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