‘Sounded like an explosion;’ Witness describes aftermath of fiery Huber Heights crash that injured 7

HUBER HEIGHTS — Multiple people were injured after a fiery crash in Huber Heights Tuesday afternoon.

Shortly before 5 p.m., Huber Heights police were notified by Montgomery County deputies that a white BMW reported stolen out of Clark County had fled from them and rammed a car in the process, according to a spokesperson for Huber Heights police.

Deputies told police the vehicle was northbound on I-75.

Moments later, an off duty-officer from another agency, who happened to be in the area, reported over the radio that it was now I-70 eastbound at a high rate of speed.

Two Huber Heights officers were in the area and waited for the car to pass them. The stolen car swerved and almost struck one officer’s cruiser.

One officer was able able to make it to the offramp for SR-201 from I-70 to catch up with the car but in the process was involved in a crash with an unrelated vehicle, the spokesperson said. The officer was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

>> PHOTOS: Serious fiery crash in Huber Heights

Officers turned around on the white BMW as it was driving south on Brandt Pike.

Moments later, the white BMW crashed into at least three other cars in the middle of the road.

News Center 7 spoke to a man who witnessed the aftermath of the crash.

“All of the sudden just heard a loud bang,” the witness told News Center 7. “Sounded like an explosion, and after about a minute or so heard another one, then another one then another one.”

After the first “explosion” the witness said he saw people running up and down the street.

“When I walked outside it was just fully engulfed,” he said. “People were screaming and hollering.”

He then described when emergency crews rolled up to the scene.

“The fire guy got off the truck and walked towards the vehicle and it was still blowing up,” he said. “There was even explosions while he was walking towards it to put out the fire.”

The suspect immediately got out of the stolen car and ran away after the crash.

All people involved in the crash were attempting to get out of their cars when the white BMW burst into flames.

Six people were injured in the crash including a child, one person who suffered second-degree burns and another with third-degree burns on the majority of their body who is in critical condition, according to police.

The passenger in the white BMW also had second-degree burns and minor injuries.

The suspect, Cory Harbarger, 27, was captured in the 6500 block of Brandt Pike, according to online jail records.

Harbarger is currently booked in the Montgomery County Jail and is facing multiple charges including receiving stolen property, possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, jail records indicate.

The case remains under investigation by Huber Heights police.

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