Here ya go - sorry bout that!
SHEFFIELD -- A Winston County man was injured late Tuesday when his car exploded after a high-speed chase through Colbert County, authorities said.
Littleville Police Chief William Nale said the chase began at 11:37 p.m. on U.S. 43 south and ended at 11:49 p.m. when the car crashed and burst into flames on Ashe Boulevard in Sheffield, just past the Quad-Cities State Trooper Post.
The driver, Jimmy Kyle Davis, 19, 448 Winston 3022, Double Springs, was pulled from the flames by Sheffield police officer Anthony Kent.
Authorities said Davis was driving a 2005 Ford Mustang that was equipped with a nitrous oxide kit, which provides an extra boost of speed.
Nale said officer Steve Prince clocked the vehicle at 120 mph just north of the Franklin-Colbert county line.
"The officer turn-ed around on him, and I wouldn't call it a chase; it was more like we were following him,'' Nale said.
Authorities said it was estimated that Davis' vehicle reached speeds of 150 mph at times.
Nale said patrol units with the Alabama Department of Public Safety, the Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Tennessee Valley Authority police and the Colbert County Sheriff's Department assisted with the situation.
"At one time, I think the spike stripe was going to be used, but he got by before anyone could deploy them,'' Nale said. "One witness, who was on Woodward Avenue in Muscle Shoals, said when the car came by him, it was like a rocket went by.''
Davis apparently lost control of the car in the curve at the railroad overpass on Hatch Boulevard.
Authorities said the car went airborne, cleared the guardrail and struck the TVA walking trail before landing near the overpass on Ashe Boulevard, where it caught fire.
Sheffield police investigator Capt. Greg Ray said Kent and another officer were a few blocks away on east Hatch Boulevard and heard the crash.
"When they got there, (the car was on fire) and Officer Kent went to the car and pulled him from the wreck,'' Ray said.
Davis was taken to Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital, in Florence, where he was admitted and listed in fair condition Wednesday, hospital officials said.
"He's lucky, very lucky,'' Nale said.
"He never slowed down or stopped from the time we spotted him until he crashed.
"I'm just thankful there was no traffic at that time of the night. If there had been any traffic, someone could have gotten killed.''
Nale said Davis faces numerous charges, including attempting to elude and reckless driving, as well as several traffic violations.
"There will likely be charges from every department that he drove through,'' the chief said.
