Cameras captured the moment when Arlington police officers saved a man from a fiery crash after he tried to elude them during a chase.
According to Arlington police, officers with the department's fugitive team spotted a wanted man with two active felony domestic violence warrants near his alleged victim's home at about 1 p.m. Wednesday.
"The Domestic Crimes Unit requested a priority response from our Fugitive Team due to the suspect's level of violence and ongoing threats to the victim," Arlington police said.
When officers attempted to stop the man, he drove away, and the officers followed.
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Police said the fleeing driver was hit by a pickup truck near the intersection of Carter Drive and Arkansas Lane.
"The impact caused the suspect to lose control of his vehicle, which was immediately engulfed in flames," police said.
After the initial collision, a third vehicle then hit the pickup truck.
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A woman working nearby when the crash occurred said they heard the sirens from the chase and then the loud boom of the collision.
"We saw the car, the red car, speeding towards us, so as soon as he crossed the light, there was other cars into the intersection, and we just heard the big boom," said Liliana Cantu. "Everything was crazy."
Cantu said she then saw Arlington police officers rush toward the red vehicle and pull the driver out moments before there was an explosion.
"They got them on the floor, picked them up and they just started walking them out," Cantu said. "Three seconds later, the car exploded. But everybody was safe, thank God."
The man was taken into custody and is being held in the Arlington City Jail on multiple charges, including the previous warrants and a charge of evading arrest.
All three drivers involved in the crashes were the only ones in their vehicles, and all were hospitalized with injuries that were not considered serious.
