THORNTON, Colo. — Police say three people died in a fiery "glancing head-on crash" at E. 120th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard early Saturday morning.
The crash caused a ruptured fuel tank and fire.
Khosrow Javanzad was returning home from a night of Bingo when the crash occurred.
He said he stopped at a red light in the eastbound left turn lane on 120th, and was listening to music, when he heard a loud noise.
"Like racing cars," he added.
Suddenly, he heard and felt a crash.
Javanzad said he couldn't tell which direction the cars were coming from.
"I blanked out for second or two," he said. "When I was able to open my eyes, I saw there was a car on top of me, maybe an SUV."
He said the front driver's side of his Audi was smashed in.
As he struggled to get out of his car, he noticed flames coming out of a car next to him.
He said he began praying.
"Praying that the door opens because I have no power to break any windows or anything to get out," he said.
Javanzad told Denver7 he was able to get onto the floor and crawl out his passenger door.
Moments later, he heard some explosions.
Thornton police said a westbound Subaru collided with a southbound Chevy Suburban in what amounted to a "glancing head-on collision."
The Suburban's fuel tank ruptured, starting the fire.
Sgt. Tom Connor said the driver of the Subaru, and the driver and a passenger in the Suburban died.
Javanzad was in one of the other three cars that were hit, while stopped at the red light.
He said he's banged up a bit, but glad to be alive.
"The window glass cut my hand and my head, which I didn't know until they were releasing me (from the hospital,)" he said.
Javanzad is distressed that he couldn't save the people involved in the head-on.
"I told police I wish I was able to open the car and help somebody out — the ones next to me," he said. "They said, possibly at that speed, you couldn't have done anything anyway."
Police said they're still trying to determine which vehicle ran a red light.
They said there is no evidence that racing was involved.
