Cook County sheriff's police save teen from fiery car wreck on I-80

HAZEL CREST, Ill. (WLS) -- Two Cook County Sheriff's officers pulled an 18-year-old driver from his burning car on I-80 near the I-57 bridge in south suburban Hazel Crest.

Illinois State Police said the driver swerved to miss a coyote and lost control of the vehicle. He crashed into a guard rail around 2 a.m. Wednesday. The car caught fire with the driver still inside.

"We pulled off to the side we noticed the side was smoking pretty badly," Officer William Hoefler, Cook County Sheriff's Department, said.

Hoefler and his partner were the first on the scene.

"Told him it was on fire, he said that the doors weren't working, he couldn't unlock them, couldn't open them," Officer Hoefler said. "I was able to reach in, pop the door open. We pulled him out over his seat into the backseat and then pulled him out of the vehicle and up the hill so he could get away from the vehicle."

Moments later, the car burst into flames. The driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and released a short time later.

"I don't know. I mean, I just know we got him out when we could. And I'm glad he's going to be OK," Hoefler said.