WASHINGTON COUNTY — A vehicle caught fire after losing control while speeding and crashing into a guard rail on I-41 in Washington County early Tuesday morning, authorities say.
A deputy also heard a woman screaming from inside the burning vehicle, warning she was trapped. Authorities were able to free the woman and put out the fire, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
At around 1:34 a.m. Tuesday, a deputy was running radar on I-41 near State Highway 33 when he saw a vehicle traveling southbound at 104 miles per hour, according to the office.
The deputy turned on his police lights and began to follow the speeding vehicle.
Soon after, the vehicle lost control while passing a stationary squad car. The vehicle crashed into the west shoulder side guard rail. That's when the vehicle caught fire and the deputy heard the woman's calls for help.
The responding deputy was able to extinguish the fire while the Allenton Fire Department safely extricated her.
The driver, a 44-year-old Cudahy woman, was later brought to Froedtert Wauwatosa with serious but non-life-threatening injuries according to the office.
The driver was arrested for first offense drug OWI. A large amount of narcotic and depressant medication, in and out of valid Rx bottles, was located in the vehicle, the Sheriff's Office said.
