YARMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) - A drunken Harwich man who allegedly admitted to drinking tequila before getting behind the wheel was arrested early Saturday morning after police say he crashed his car into a tree on Cape Cod, causing it to explode.
Officers responding to a report of a crash at the intersection of Buck Island Road and Winslow Gray Road around 1 a.m. found a Ford Escape lodged up against a tree with its horn continuously sounding, according to the Yarmouth Police Department.
The driver, Thomas Kendall, drove over bushes in a nearby yard and struck a vehicle parked in a driveway before crashing, officials said.
Kendall suffered several injuries to his face and was said to be bleeding profusely from his nose and left eye when officers found him on his phone near the wrecked vehicle.
Moments later, Kendall’s vehicle became engulfed in flames, prompting an officer to escort him down the street to a safe area. A woman who lived nearby was also evacuated from her home.
The burning vehicle exploded within seconds of it catching fire and damaged several trees, officials said.
After firefighters extinguished the blaze, an officer noticed that Kendall’s speech was slurred and that his breath smelled of alcohol. Kendall then allegedly admitted to drinking tequila at a bar in Hyannis.
Kendall was arrested and taken to Cape Cod Hospital.
He is charged with negligent operation of motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of liquor, and committing a marked lanes violation.
The Registry of Motor Vehicles was notified and officials said Kendall ‘s license would be suspended immediately.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)