A suspected kidnapper was dragged from his burning car alive after it crashed and was engulfed by a huge fireball following a police chase in San Francisco.
Dramatic smartphone footage shows the driver being hauled over the pavement in Emeryville while his vehicle goes up in flames with a female passenger still inside.
The woman was killed in the crash while the driver was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, San Francisco Police said.
The pair were wanted by police on suspicion of assaulting a woman and shoving her into the car boot on Sunday afternoon.
She reportedly escaped using an emergency release lever and contacted police as the car headed to the East Bay area of the city.
A police car pursued the couple over the Bay Bridge before they lost control and crashed into a silver Chrysler and a lamppost at a junction, just after 3pm local time.
Passers-by rushed to help as the car erupted in flames. Rick McGee, a retired firefighter, told ABC: “His legs were I think pinned. He couldn't take his seat belt off
“I yelled for a knife. Someone gave me a knife. I cut the seat belt out and I pulled him out from the sun roof.”
Another witness, Curtis Portley, said: “The police officer, she pretty much held her calm. She held a gun on him for whatever reason and she asked someone for a fire extinguisher and we were all yelling for this guy to get out of the car.”
Emeryville police Captain Oliver Collins said the female suspect could not be extracted from the vehicle and died. The driver has been placed under arrest.
The driver of the silver Chrysler was also taken to hospital with injuries.
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