A Macon County man is lucky to be alive after crashing his truck into a home on Galen Road, causing the vehicle to catch on fire and trapping him inside. Captain Larry West, of the Macon County Sheriffs Department, who was first on the scene, was able to kick the back glass out and pull the driver from the burning pickup, which was still inside the residence.

Sixty-four-year-old Michael Mullins, of Lafayette, was driving a black 1998 Dodge truck west on Galen Road, when he passed another vehicle around 10:30 on Wednesday morning, June 6^th. The Tennessee Highway Patrol says that he apparently lost control of his pickup and failed to negotiate a curve. He ran off the roadway striking the home at 765 Galen Road, which was occupied by Joe Vaughn.

“When I arrived on the scene,” said Captain West, “there was flames and smoke coming from the truck which was partially inside the residence. The driver was trapped, so I knocked the back glass out of the pickup and pulled him out that way. I’m just thankful that the accident was close to town and I was fortunate enough to have arrived as quickly as I did.”

The Lafayette Fire Department also quickly responded to the site and according to Chief Keith Scruggs a fuel leak caught the engine on fire, which spread to a bedroom in the home. “We attempted an interior attack,” said Scruggs, “but we couldn’t put water on the engine because it was under the house. When Newberry’s wrecker arrived and pulled the truck out, we were able to extinguish the fire and stabilize the situation.”

“There was extensive damage to the home,” stated Scruggs, “and I contacted the Red Cross to assist Vaughn. Many of his friends rallied around him and helped him remove his belongings from the residence and volunteered to store it for him.”

Mullins dodged serious injury and was treated at the site by the Macon County EMS. Investigating officer, THP Trooper Tracy Donoho charged him with failure to exercise due care.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol, Lafayette Fire Department, Macon County Sheriffs Department, Lafayette Police Department, Ambulance Service, Newberry’s Towing and the Macon County Chronicle responded to the scene of the accident.