Two California Highway Patrol officers were engulfed in flames when a disabled vehicle exploded on a Riverside County freeway Sunday afternoon.
The blast struck the officers, 3:10 p.m. On Interstate 215 in Moreno Valley, as they stood beside a 2007 Toyota Camry on the right shoulder, CHP Officer Javier Navarro told Patch. Both officers sustained minor to moderate burns and were transported to Riverside University Medical Center. The CHP expects full recoveries without long-term complications.
The Camry had broken down in the northbound lanes moments earlier. Its driver, suspected of driving under the influence, and a male passenger pushed the sedan to the shoulder before two CHP units arrived, according to Navarro.
The officers were interviewing the driver near the unoccupied vehicle when it suddenly detonated. The driver and his companion escaped unharmed.
“An explosion occurred, causing the officers to be engulfed in flames,” Navarro said.
Riverside County Fire Department crews reached the scene within minutes and extinguished the blaze before flames could spread to adjacent vegetation. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
The driver was booked into Robert Presley Jail on suspicion of DUI. His friend was not arrested. Authorities have not released the driver’s identity.
The incident unfolded rapidly after the vehicle became disabled in active traffic lanes. The decision by the driver and passenger to manually relocate the car preceded the arrival of law enforcement, setting up the roadside encounter that turned violent without warning.