A fiery crash in Battle Creek nearly turned tragic — until a group of ordinary neighbors risked their lives to save a driver trapped inside a burning car. Around 6 p.m. on November 5, 2025, a car slammed into a cement barrier on Capital Avenue Northeast and burst into flames. Off-duty dispatcher Megan Waschak heard the explosion from her home and ran outside. The vehicle was already engulfed, and a young man was desperately trying to get the confused driver to exit.
With the flames spreading fast, Waschak and the bystander made a split-second decision. “It was life over limb at that point,” she said. They pulled the driver from the car just moments before it was fully consumed. Neighbor Donovan Greer then arrived and helped carry the driver farther away in case the car exploded.