Driver pulls boy from burning car

Staff
Published: October 3, 2008

A driver involved in a fiery crash on Interstate 66 late Friday pulled a 12-year-old boy from a burning car, but could not save the driver.
State police said the wreck happened about 8:30 p.m. in heavy congestion in the westbound lanes at the 44 mile marker, just east of the Va. 234 bypass.

The Rav4, a 2007 Toyota Camry and a 2006 Audi had stopped due to traffic. A westbound 2003 Acura came up behind the vehicles and struck the Toyota Rav4. The impact of the crash caused the Rav4 to hit the Camry and Audi.

The Rav4 burst into flames. The Acura driver, Paul Bauman of Potomac Falls, ran up to the car and got the boy out, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. Bauman also attempted to pull the driver, a woman, from the flames. But the fire spread too rapidly and engulfed the vehicle, she said.

The 12-year-old boy was not injured, but was transported to a nearby hospital as a precaution.

All drivers and passengers in the four cars were wearing their seat belts and no one else was injured.

State police kept the westbound lanes of I-66 closed until after midnight. Traffic backed up for miles.

No charges had been filed Saturday, but the crash remained under investigation.