Fun ride in Bend field goes awry in fiery fashion

Sometimes, a car fire is more than it seems — as was the case late Tuesday afternoon in northeast Bend, when police say a man who went four-wheeling in a snowy field by St. Charles Bend got his rig stuck – then got his foot stuck under the Jeep while trying to free it. Then it caught fire.

Fortunately, some citizens stopped to help Tony Bozilov, 57, of Bend, and one got him loose and dragged him away from the burning Jeep Cherokee before it became engulfed in flames, said police Corporal Rob Emerson.

Unfortunately for Bozilov, after being treated at the adjacent hospital, his next stop was the Deschutes County Jail, on DUII and other charges. (But he was released in about two hours, officials say.)

It all began shortly after 4 p.m., when Bend police and firefighters responded to a car fire in a vacant, wooded lot owned by the hospital, located between its parking lot and Northeast 27 th Street, Emerson said.

The smoke column prompted numerous calls to police. But by the time police arrived and fire crews put out the blaze, the Jeep was a total loss.

Emerson said an investigation found that Bozilov had driven the Jeep from his northeast Bend home to the vacant field to “4×4” in the snow. But his vehicle became stuck, and then his foot was trapped under it as he tried to free the Jeep, Emerson said.

Then the fire began, and several citizens stopped to assist, the corporal said. One of them was able to free Bozilov’s foot and drag him clear of the car before it was consumed by the flames.

Bozilov was taken to the adjacent hospital for treatment of a foot injury, Emerson said, adding that alcohol was a contributing factor to the incident.

He was taken to the Bend jail and lodged on charges of DUII, misdemeanor driving with a suspended license, reckless driving and criminal mischief.

A jail officer said Bozilov met release criteria and was released to a responsible third party a couple of hours after his arrival.