A Lincoln County woman is in stablecondition after being pulled to safety from her burning vehicle bypeople who came upon the scene of an accident Tuesdayafternoon.

    Brandon “Brandy” Nicole Smith, 32, of West Lincoln Drive, wastraveling west on California Road in her 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazertoward Jackson-Liberty Drive when she crossed over the eastboundlane and collided head-on with a tree on the shoulder, according tothe Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department and witnesses on thescene.

    The accident happened in front of 1998 California Road, the home ofTom Lovelace. Lovelace said he was on his front porch siftingthrough the day’s mail when he heard the collision, then Smith’scries for help.

    Lisa Fielder, driving from a visit to her daughter’s house nearby,said she happened onto the scene as the SUV was catching fire andLovelace was approaching to help. Fielder and Lovelace workedquickly to pull Smith, who was responsive, out of the SUV and ontothe grass on the opposite side of the road.

    The good Samaritans then scrambled to save any belongings theycould from Smith’s SUV before steady winds began to dangerouslyspread the fire. Fielder said it was a matter of minutes before theSUV was fully engulfed in flames.

    “I’m glad we got her out,” Fielder said. “We pulled out as much aswe could. I was able to get her purse out of there.”

    Fielder and Lovelace said Smith said she felt painful stomachcramps just before she hit the tree. Fielder also said Smith’smother’s house was nearby and perhaps she was going to or comingfrom a visit there before the accident.

    An ambulance dispatched from King’s Daughters Medical Centertransported Smith from the scene directly to the University ofMississippi Medical Center (UMC) in Jackson, KDMC spokesman DavidCulpepper said later.

    Lincoln County Deputy Wade Hinshaw, working the scene, said Smithsuffered some back and leg burns from the accident, and that thecause of the wreck was unknown at the time.

    Firefighters from New Sight, Zetus and Loyd Star volunteer firedepartments responded to douse the car and contain the fire fromspreading into the woods flanking the road.

    Smith was in stable condition Wednesday morning, according to a UMCpublic affairs spokesperson.