Incidents

Dramatic video shows fiery aftermath of fatal wrong-way crash in Volusia County

By Sarah Wilson, James Tutten and Ken Tyndall
By Sarah Wilson, James Tutten and Ken Tyndall

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Body camera video shows investigators using an ax to rescue a driver from a burning car after a fatal wrong-way crash Wednesday on I-95 in Volusia County.

The road closure forced thousands of drivers to make a detour during morning rush-hour traffic.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said there were two collisions that involved a sedan, an SUV, a tractor-trailer and a dump truck.

Body camera video shows Volusia County deputies and Edgewater police, along with other first responders, had only seconds to react.

The video shows officers putting their own lives at risk to rescue the victims, using a punch to break a window of the sedan to get one victim out.

Vehicle fire rescue: Edgewater PD & Volusia sheriff's deputy

Early this morning, Edgewater police officers and Volusia County sheriff's deputies pulled a crash victim from a burning vehicle involved in a head-on crash with a wrong-way driver on I-95. The other driver was killed, but these law enforcement officers were able to pull this young man to safety so he could get to a hospital. He was listed in critical condition. We are pulling hard for a full recovery. The crash is being investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. *Warning: This video has been condensed and edited, but it still contains intense footage and audio.

Posted by Volusia Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, January 9, 2019

As thick smoke pours from the vehicle, one of the officers tried to open the passenger-side door. After they became overcome by smoke, they go back to the driver's side.

As the flames start getting bigger, deputies used a knife to cut the airbag out of the way.

Another part of the video shows an officer trying to crawl inside the burning car while his lungs are overcome by smoke.

After making sure everybody is out of the sedan, the officers don't stop. They run to another vehicle, busting out the windows.

The rescuers were able to get the driver out of that second vehicle, but it wasn't easy.

All southbound lanes of I-95 in Volusia County reopened just over 12 hours after the fatal crash, according to the Highway Patrol.

FHP officials said the incident occurred when a man driving the wrong way on southbound I-95 in Volusia County crashed head-on into the SUV.

The wrong-way driver later died of his injuries, the FHP said.

The FHP identified the man who died as 23-year-old Devon Standish, of Daytona Beach.

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The crash also triggered a second accident when a UPS truck slowed while coming upon the wreck and was struck by a dump truck hauling asphalt that failed to slow down, troopers said.

The asphalt truck then overturned, spilling hot asphalt across the highway, the FHP said. Troopers said the dump truck driver suffered serious injuries and the UPS driver had minor injuries.

*Warning: This video has been condensed and edited, but it still contains intense footage and audio.

The crashes, which happened just before 1 a.m., were the first of two fatal accidents on highways in Volusia County overnight causing delays during Thursday's morning commute.

READ: Deputies: Taser brings Volusia County carjacker's crime spree to a halt

The morning's other deadly crash happened two hours later, around 2:45 a.m., on Interstate 4 eastbound. Troopers said the crash happened near Exit 108 at Dirksen Drive/Debary Avenue.

Montes said a tow truck driver was merging back onto I-4 eastbound after loading on a vehicle involved in an earlier crash when it was rear-ended by an SUV.

Montes said the driver of the SUV, identified as 35-year-old Adolfo Lopez of Deltona, died at the scene and that the tow truck driver and passenger were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

Cox Media Group

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