Man Severely Burned in Midtown Car Crash; Collision Knocks Out Power Switchbox

According to witnesses, a black Dodge Charger driving at high speeds hit a GMC Yukon at the corner of Arctic and Benson boulevards.

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By Corey Allen-Young

Story Created: Sep 19, 2011 at 1:13 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Sep 20, 2011 at 11:29 AM AKDT

In Midtown early Sunday morning, a fiery car crash left a man trapped behind his steering wheel while his car was in flames.

Just after 3 a.m., two cars collided and several people were seriously injured requiring hospitalization.

According to witnesses, a black Dodge Charger driving at high speeds hit a GMC Yukon at the corner of Arctic and Benson boulevards.

“The black car spun and hit this thing [and] caught on fire,” said witness Alyssa Harris, motioning to a Municipal Light and Power 15-kilowatt switchbox.

“A whole bunch of people ran to the car from everywhere and was, like, pulling on the door, trying to get him out. There's this guy yelling ‘help, please somebody help,’” she recalled.

Anchorage police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said passersby were able to get a female passenger out of the front seat, but were unable to get the driver out; “he was burned,” Parker said.

All occupants were taken to a nearby hospital with the exception of the driver of the black vehicle who sustained severe face and chest burns—he was transported to a Seattle trauma unit.

Because a switchbox was impacted during the collision, power farther down the road was knocked out, causing another accident.

According to Parker, the second crash occurred at A Street and Benson Boulevard where two vehicles ran into each other when traffic lights were not functioning; no one was injured.

That crash is under investigation.

Also, the names of those involved in the accident will not be released.

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