Intoxicated driver seriously hurt as car rolls over and catches fire

A 32-year-old man was seriously injured when his car rolled over and caught fire in Krottendorf, in the Weiz district, on Thursday evening, ORF reported. The driver was travelling too fast and was intoxicated, according to police.

The man told police he lost control of the car and struck a guardrail. The vehicle then overturned on the B72 road and caught fire in a roadside ditch.

Passers-by pulled the seriously injured man from the burning car. Weiz’s city fire brigade said their quick response helped prevent worse consequences. The Red Cross took him to Weiz Hospital, where he was found to be intoxicated and significantly impaired.

The man said he had driven despite being intoxicated because he received an emergency message from his girlfriend. He had little memory of how the crash happened.

The B72 was temporarily closed after the crash. Police said debris was scattered across about 100 metres of the road. Firefighters and road maintenance workers cleared the road, and the wrecked car was extinguished.