Woman Rescued from Flaming Car on Pt. San Pedro

Police arrested a woman on suspicion of drunken driving after she was rescued from a burning car on Point San Pedro Road this morning.

San Rafael resident Guadalupe Pantoja, 20, was booked in Marin County jail Thursday on the felony charge of driving while intoxicated and causing bodily harm.

At approximately 1:25 a.m., Pantoja was traveling at high speed eastbound on Point San Pedro Road near Summit Avenue when she lost control of the vehicle and rear ended a 2004 Porsche Cayanne that was parked on the right shoulder, according to California Highway Patrol spokesperson Eric Hohmeister.

Pantoja’s car struck a fence and trees at 320 Point San Pedro Road. The Porsche was forced forward, rotated 180 degrees until it impacted a parked 1995 Jaguar sedan.

“When CHP units arrived on scene, the Dodge was on fire and Pantoja was trapped in the driver’s seat screaming for help,” Hohmeister said. “CHP officers were able to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher and render medical aid until Pantoja was extricated by San Rafael Fire Paramedics.”

Pantoja was with two passengers, who were able to escape the car before it caught fire. The right front passenger, a 22-year-old man from San Rafael, climbed out of the vehicle and collapsed on his hands and knees near where the Dodge came to rest. The right rear passenger, a 20-year-old male from Richmond, escaped and ran away from the wreckage, and collapsed in the westbound lane of Point San Pedro Road.

All three were transported to Pantoja suffered lacerations to her forehead, leg, knee and a broken right ankle. The 22-year-old passenger suffered a collapsed lung, dislocated right shoulder and fractured his hip and ribs. The 20-year-old male passenger complained of pain to his neck, back, stomach and suffered a severe kidney injury.

CHP determined Pantoja was driving under the influence of alcohol and without a license at the time of the accident.