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May 9, 2008 9:20 am US/Eastern
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Chase, Fire, Rescue In Fort Worth Caught On Tape
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBS) ―
A chase that ended in a fiery crash at a restaurant turned a Sansom Park police officer from pursuer to rescuer.
The entire incident was caught on a squad car's dash camera.
"I estimate their speed at probably over 100 mph," Sansom Park Police Officer Josh Smith told CBS station KTVT-TV in Dallas.
When Officer Smith caught up to the Dodge intrepid carrying four teenage boys, he found the car smashed into the side of a restaurant.
With his gun drawn, Officer Smith heard screams coming from the car.
"I've got people screaming in the car," said Smith. I don't know if I have a kidnapping or what at this point."
The smoke from the hood became thicker and Smith saw flames.
"Once they started rolling out of the hood, I knew it was getting to the point where it was going to become fully engulfed," said Smith.
That's when he pulled his out baton and went to work. By this time, a Fort Worth officer was on the scene to help. They pulled the two teens in the front out of the vehicle.
Meanwhile, the flames were becoming more intense.
Someone else smashes another window so the teens in the back can escape. One of the boys had a broken leg and his screams of pain could be heard on the dash-cam video.
All four teens were finally pulled a safe distance from the burning car.
Police found several stolen purses in the car as well as marijuana.
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