An 85-year-old woman died inside her car when the tailpipe started a field fire and she couldn’t escape, according to fire officials.
Benton County sheriff’s deputies are still investigating, but officials initially believe the woman was trying to turn around late Sunday night on Nicoson Road when her car slid down an embankment, said Tracy Baker, Benton County Fire District 1 public information officer.
Baker said it appears the unidentified woman couldn’t get to safety as the car ignited the grass.
District 1 firefighters found her body inside the burning car as they battled the brush fire, which scorched about 50 yards of sagebrush and grass.