Driver runs off after being pulled from fiery crash

DALLAS - A man who was rescued from a burning car was arrested after he ran away from the accident scene.

The crash happened around midnight on eastbound Interstate 20 near Westmoreland Road.

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office said a speeding car veered off the road and climbed a steep grassy embankment before slamming into the side of a bridge. The car then spun around, hit the bridge support pillars and burst into flames.

Two men who saw the crash stopped to help and pulled the driver away from the flames. But as first responders pulled up, he took off running into a nearby neighborhood.

“We ran and got him out of the burning car and drove him down the hill and put him in the back of the vehicle. But when the ambulance came, I guess he got right and jumped out of the vehicle and ran up the hill,” said Eric Marshall.

Marshall and his friend, Reginald Johnson, then helped deputies catch the driver about a half of a mile away.

“I felt disrespected because no matter what situation you’re in, if someone helps you at least do a favor and try to help yourself. I mean, he didn’t even try to help himself. I mean he just got in a bad situation and made it worse,” Johnson said.

The driver was not seriously hurt. He was arrested after failing a field sobriety test and is expected to be charged with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.