Mail Tribune News - White City man injured in crash

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2000-09-14

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White City man injured in crash Driver pulled from burning truck By Jim Davis of the Mail Tribune A White City man was seriously injured Friday evening when his pickup truck ran off Highway 62, rammed a light post and caught fire. Frank Lynn Sanders, 34, was pulled from the burning pickup by Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Dave Beck and two men who identified themselves as doctors. "My concern was to get him (Sanders) out of the vehicle in case something burst into flames," Beck said. "He was coherent and he was saying, `Get me out of here, get me out of here."' Sanders was taken to Providence Medford Medical Center, where he was being treated late Friday night for broken legs, ribs and facial fractures, authorities said. The accident occurred about 5:44 p.m. Friday when Sanders was driving a 1976 Chevrolet Luv southbound on the highway. About 700 feet north of Vilas Road, Sanders drove off the right side of the road and rammed into a light post, said Medford Officer Jason Becker, who is investigating the case. Witnesses told police that Sanders appeared to be driving normally until he veered off the road, Becker said. Alcohol or drugs did not appear to be factors, Becker said. He also said that Sanders did not appear to be wearing a seat belt. Trooper Beck was one of the first police officers to arrive on the scene. He did not get called, but was just driving down the road when he came upon the accident just a minute or two after it happened. He said that two men who said they were physicians were already on the scene. They pulled Sanders out of the burning pickup and got him a short distance away from the vehicle. Other bystanders used fire extinguishers to keep the flames in check until the Medford Fire Department arrived and doused the fire, which was only in the engine compartment. Beck did not get the names of the two men. Medford Fire Capt. Bob Sharp said they did everything right. "The fire was still burning when they pulled him from the car," Sharp said. "It was a pretty gutsy move." Mail Tribune Copyright �  The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA