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Driver May Face Charges After Explosive Crash At Intersection

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in Colorado Springs say a car that exploded at an intersection after a crash had oxygen canisters in the trunk.

Joshua Morgan

A Mercedes was stopped at a red light at Highway 115 and Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard Wednesday afternoon when a Volkswagen slammed into it.

Colorado Springs Crime
(credit: CBS)

A gas line in the Mercedes caught fire and the driver quickly got out. That's when the Mercedes exploded, sending debris flying up to 150 feet away.

The explosion damaged two police cruisers and a fire truck.

Five oxygen tanks were in the Mercedes and at least two of them exploded.

Police arrested the driver of VW, who has been identified as Joshua Morgan, 23. He's being investigated for driving under the influence of drugs. He was taken to the hospital with injuries.

The driver of the Mercedes has spinal fracture.

None of the emergency responders were hurt, although a witness told CBS4 partner KKTV that it looked like one of the firefighters fell to his knees from the impact from one of the explosions.

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