Two men were seriously injured after authorities say a drunk driver crashed into a tree, causing their vehicle to become fully engulfed in flames, near Woodstock Wednesday evening.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 11:05 p.m. Wednesday to the 10600 block of Lucas Road in unincorporated Woodstock.
Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Communication Specialist Alex Vucha said the incident was initially reported to be a vehicle fire.
It was later learned the vehicle fire was the result of a vehicle crash.
Firefighters arrived on the scene within six minutes and found a single vehicle into a tree fully engulfed in flames, Vucha said.
Firefighters quickly worked to extinguish the fire while paramedics began treatment of two victims.
The two adult male victims had gotten out of the car before the car became engulfed in flames, Vucha said.
The victims were found in a driveway of a nearby home.
Vucha said both men were seriously injured and transported by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital.
A LifeNet medical helicopter was initially requested but later canceled.
McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Creighton said it is unknown why the vehicle left the roadway and struck the tree.
The driver, 23-year-old Ryan Anderson, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
The injuries that Anderson and his 25-year-old passenger suffered are believed to not be life-threatening, Creighton said.
No other vehicles or persons were involved in the crash.