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Motorists pull College Park woman from burning Jeep on I-495

3K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  RatherBNarizona 
#1 ·


Several motorists rescued a College Park woman from a burning Jeep today on the outer loop of Interstate 495 near College Park, Prince George's County firefighters said.

A silver Jeep Wrangler driven by Vanessa Linares, 27, was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer at about 8:45 a.m. between Route 1 and I-95 in College Park, said Mark Brady, a spokesman for the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department. When the back of the vehicle caught fire, several motorists ripped open its cloth roof and rescued her.

"[The victim] was dazed. She had a foot trapped beneath the brake and gas pedals," Brady said. "It was a host of people [who helped]."

The initial collision sent Linares' Jeep about 75 feet from where it was hit and ruptured its fuel tank, causing the back of the Jeep to burst into flames. The Jeep's doors could not be opened due to damage from the crash.

Seeing the flames, a nearby motorist tried to put out the fire with an extinguisher, while others ripped open the vehicle's cloth roof, freed Linares' foot from beneath the pedals and pulled her to safety.

By the time firefighters and emergency personnel arrived, the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

"It would not have been possible for anyone to survive if they were still inside the vehicle," Brady said.

Linares was taken to a trauma center with potentially serious but non-life-threatening injuries, Brady said. A second driver who was struck in a chain reaction caused by the crash was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

The crash was likely caused when a Porsche became disabled on the highway, causing vehicles behind it to stop, said Maryland State Police Trooper Jeff Deibel. The Porsche was not struck in the accident.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Aaron Matheny of Sweetwater, Tenn., was uninjured and remained at the scene. Maryland State Police continue to investigate the crash.
Motorists pull College Park woman from burning Jeep on I-495
 
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#3 ·
Glad to hear she is okay, but, where is the SILVER wrangler..
 
#7 ·
Wow, that thing was hit hard.
 
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