A 17-year-old Miramonte student walked away from the smoking wreckage of his overturned BMW Tuesday after the car rolled, sheared off a fire hydrant and briefly caught fire.
The accident, reported at 10:05 a.m. in the 400 block of Moraga Way, closed Moraga Way down to a single lane until the artery was re-opened to traffic in all directions at 11:45 a.m.
Orinda Police Chief Mark Nagel said the driver was attempting to get to school when the crash occurred. He complained of some pain but was relatively unscathed, according to police.
MOFD firefighters re-secured and capped the hydrant and Orinda police are investigating the cause of the crash.
Driving While Teenager
BMW? My old man helped me buy a rusted out old 69 Corvair with only three wheels that actually rolled. I could get it up to 45 on a good day with the breeze behind me and that probab ly saved my life.
Driving down Moraga Way as the Miramonte kids drive to school is like watching the young and inexperienced driving late model luxury cars.
Young people are pliable and strong. Glad he walked away. As for the texting thing I see much older people doing it all the time.