Two California Highway Patrol officers were caught in a terrifying fireball when a disabled car suddenly exploded during a roadside encounter — leaving both cops burned and a suspected drunk driver facing jail time.
The officers were standing beside a 2007 Toyota Camry on Interstate 215 in Moreno Valley Sunday when the blast erupted, engulfing them in flames, CHP Officer Javier Navarro told Patch.
“An explosion occurred, causing the officers to be engulfed in flames,” Navarro said.
Both officers suffered minor to moderate injuries and were rushed to Riverside University Medical Center. The CHP expects them to make full recoveries without long-term complications.
The explosion came shortly after 3 p.m., after the Camry broke down in the northbound lanes. Its driver, allegedly under the influence, and a friend pushed the sedan onto the right shoulder, where two CHP units arrived.
The officers were speaking with the driver near the unoccupied vehicle when it suddenly burst into flames. The driver and his buddy escaped without a scratch.
Riverside County Fire Department crews arrived within minutes and extinguished the blaze before it could spread to nearby vegetation.
The driver, whose identity was not immediately released, was booked into the Robert Presley Jail on suspicion of DUI. His friend was not arrested.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
