ATLANTA — A fiery early morning crash in southeast Atlanta has left one person dead and the driver, now in police custody, fighting for his life.
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According to the Atlanta Police Department, officers responded just before 3 a.m. Friday, to a reported car break-in along Milton Avenue. When officers approached the vehicle, the driver fled the scene, prompting a brief attempt to pull the car over. Police say the driver refused to stop.
They say a short time later, the vehicle crashed along Boulevard Southeast, slamming into a utility pole in the front yard of a nearby home. The impact sparked a fire and knocked down power lines, creating a dangerous and chaotic scene.
Residents in the area described the moment of impact as explosive.
“There was a couple of bright flashes. They were loud,” said neighbor Mark Kim. “I was about to make a 911 call, and then I heard the police sirens go off.”
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When emergency crews arrived, they found one person lying in the roadway and another trapped inside the burning vehicle. Despite the risk posed by flames and downed electrical lines, first responders rushed in to help.
“They did whatever they had to do to get the guy out of the car,” said neighbor David Franklin. “He was immobile… they had to reach in while the car was fiery, electrical lines down, just very heroic.”
Authorities say the person rescued from the vehicle later died at the hospital.
The driver, identified as Vincent Steel, survived the crash and remains in serious condition, but he is stable. Police confirm that Steel is also a suspect in a 2024 homicide in southwest Atlanta, where a 27-year-old man was found shot to death along Ira Street.
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Steel is currently in custody, and charges are pending as the investigation continues.
The crash also caused widespread power outages in the surrounding area. At its peak, approximately 1,200 customers of Georgia Power were without electricity for several hours as crews worked to repair damaged infrastructure.
Utility workers remained on the scene Friday, continuing restoration efforts and assessing the extent of the damage.
Police have not yet released the identity of the victim who died in the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.