Two Brownsville men survive a fiery car accident on I-40 Saturday afternoon

BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — Traffic was backed up for miles Saturday afternoon on I-40 westbound toward Memphis,  22-year-old Daruis Pruiett and 23-year-old Montravious Woodland were having a rather normal Saturday and then around 5PM, it took a turn for the worst.

“the text said.. Me… Trae.. wreck… All I saw was his smile and that was good enough for me,” said Jennifer Pruiett, Darius’ Mother.

“…only god saved us,” said Darius Pruiett

The two best friends were on 1-40 heading west going to Montravious Woodland’s grandmother’s house for a BBQ when Darius says the car hit a pothole, flipped and then caught fire.

“The next thing that happened, we were on the road and the tire just busted.. went straight to the guardrail smacked it and just flipped over,” said Darius Pruiett.

Darius, the passenger in the jeep, described the moments through his faith.

“I just had my eyes closed,” Darius Pruiett added.

Daruis said the jeep flipped and was upside down. He then managed to get out, but Montravious needed help.

“I was bleeding bad and just trying to get him out to make sure he was straight,” said Darius.

Daruis said he must have skinned his hand and arm on the road, as the car was upside down.

“You never know what is going to happen,” said Daruis.

Both men went to the hospital after the accident. Darius has a wound on his hand and arm, including missing skin. Montravious has stitches in three of his fingers on his right hand.

“I am just glad we are both alive,” Darius added.

“I would just tell everybody just start wearing seat belts. We both could have been dead, had we not had our seat belts on. We could have been thrown out the vehicle or anything,” said Darius.

“…..but god…. but god. He kept both of them. Everything is going to be okay, everything is going to be okay,” said Jennifer Pruiett.