Police: Suspected drunk driver's fiery crash shears off half of pickup

A suspected drunk driver is accused of a series of traffic crimes in Austin, Minnesota, which culminated in a high-speed crash that saw his pickup truck burst into flames and left its rear end "almost completely sheared off."

The 23-year-old man, who has been arrested but not yet charged, fled officers who made attempts to pull him over for multiple traffic violations, including traveling at speeds in excess of 70 mph in a Chevy Silverado in a 30 mph zone on the 500 block of West Oakland Avenue at around 3:20 a.m. Monday.

The officer ended the pursuit due to the driver's "erratic driving and excessive speeds." Even after the officer turned off his lights and sirens, the police report says the suspect continued to speed, ran a red light, and narrowly dodged another vehicle. 

As the driver reached the 1600 block of West Oakland Avenue, he lost control and crashed, striking a tree as he left the road. The rear of the truck "almost was completely sheared off." Then, the truck and the path it had traveled erupted into flames.

The driver was pulled out of the burning vehicle, alive, and was arrested on Monday at his home after he was medically released on Sunday. 

The driver is now awaiting charges in Mower County. A search warrant was obtained and a blood draw was taken.

The police department said this is one of seven instances of impaired driving authorities dealt with in a 29-hour period this past weekend.

Note: The details provided in this story are based on the police’s latest version of events, and may be subject to change.