Six people were injured, including one critically, in a fiery crash on Tecumseh Road East Saturday night that left bystanders stunned by the scene.
Around 8:30 p.m., a westbound pickup truck collided with a sedan near McDougall Street before veering into oncoming traffic and crashing head-on into an SUV. Both the pickup and SUV were quickly engulfed in flames.
The driver of the SUV is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries, while four others sustained serious injuries. The pickup driver also suffered serious injuries and remains in medical care.
Austin James Richard, 34, was charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and leaving the scene of the accident.
Witnesses, including Nico Verrelli, described the chaotic scene. Verrelli had just parked his Jeep when he heard the screech of a speeding vehicle and saw several cars on fire. He rushed to help, pulling a woman from the SUV, though the driver was trapped and unconscious. With the flames spreading, Verrelli and fellow bystander Ali Abu Khazneh managed to free the driver by removing his seatbelt and disentangling his legs from the wreckage just before the SUV was consumed by fire.
Despite sustaining minor burns, Abu Khazneh helped drag the driver to safety, away from the flames, until emergency responders arrived. Robert Dupuis, another witness, streamed the incident live on Facebook, praising Verrelli and Abu Khazneh as heroes for saving lives.
The crash left a lasting impact on those who helped. Verrelli, still haunted by the scene, mentioned the taste of the toxic smoke and the vivid memory of the event. The Windsor Police Traffic Reconstruction Unit closed the road for hours, and the investigation continues.
Update – On Saturday September 13th, police confirmed that one of the victims, 41-year-old Shane Prutchick, has died from his injuries. The other injured victims from the SUV included Stephanie McDowell and their three kids.