Gaston Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ed Porter Jr. said in a statement the deputy, Michael Sledge, was pulled from his patrol car just before it ignited.
Trooper T.D. “Bo” Forsht of the state Highway Patrol said the deputy was headed to an emergency call when the collision occurred shortly before 7:45 p.m.
Forsht said an off-duty Emporia police officer, Jerome Parker, and another man whose name was not immediately available, pulled the deputy from the patrol car.
Another view of the crash in this contributed photo.
As of this report, Forsht was still investigating the crash and called for a reconstruction team to assist in the investigation of the crash, which occurred at the Highway 46 and Interstate 95 intersection in the Gaston area.
Porter said the patrol car burst into flames and set the lumber aboard the rig on fire.
Forsht said the lumber was damaged to the point it would most likely not be accepted at its destination in Gaston. The driver of the truck was shaken, but not injured, Forsht said.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, according to Porter.
