‘It was tragic’: Troopers pull man from fiery crash in west Charlotte after chase

CHARLOTTE — State Highway Patrol Troopers tried to a save a man who crashed into a tree after a chase Thursday afternoon.

Melvon Jowers spoke with Channel 9′s Ken Lemon and said he was just about to turn at the intersection of Freedom Drive near Little Rock Road when the car came flying by with troopers. That car hit another one right here, hit the median and went airborne into that tree.

“Man, he came flying passed me,” Jowers said.

Troopers told Jowers a man was driving solo in a stolen car, trying to get away from officers when the car slammed into a tree.

“Soon as he hit the tree the car bust open into flames,” Jowers said.

The officers, who just moments earlier were in pursuit mode, quickly shifted to rescue mode.

Jowers told Channel 9 that a man in a garbage truck used a fire extinguisher to control the flames, but the fire kept flaring back up.

Troopers performed CPR on the driver, but it was too late.

“I feel blessed and highly favored cause that could have been my life,” Jowers said. “I could have been where he is right now.”

The investigation kept Freedom Drive shut down for most of the afternoon.

Ashley McCorkle lives nearby and saw what happened. She said she wishes the driver would have stopped or troopers would have backed off.

“I don’t really like police chases because nine times out of ten, the person that gets injured isn’t the one you are chasing,” McCorkle said.

This case was different.

The woman in the other car hit in the intersection went to the hospital, but her family told Lemon she is expected to be okay.

Police have not yet released the identity of the driver.

EARLIER

MEDIC says one person is dead after a crash in west Charlotte Thursday afternoon.

The crash happened near Freedom Drive and Little Rock Road at 12:45 p.m.

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The crash was causing traffic delays in the area.

It’s not clear what caused the crash or if anyone will be charged. The victim’s identity has not been released.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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