MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — A 31-year-old Grand Rapids man who was rescued from a burning car Wednesday morning in Muskegon Heights with a child in it has prior convictions, according to police.
Demarco Dawson is on probation, and is now charged with operating a car while intoxicated with a passenger under 16 years old, possession of cocaine, and resisting a police officer, according to police.
They also said he endangered the life of a young child under his supervision.
Dawson was pulled from the driver's seat of the burning car by Michigan State Police Troopers who were on patrol in Muskegon Heights, and neighbors said a little boy walked out.
Shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday, Tom Barr and other neighbors on 7th Street woke to the sound of a motor revving.
"Real hard for five to ten minutes," Barr said.
"Almost sounded like something being drug down the road," added Lance Miles.
Barr and Miles said they went outside to see why the car parked along the road was making the noise. It's then they noticed the car was on fire.
"The whole interior is full of smoke," Miles said.
Both neighbors believed the driver of the car fled, leaving it to burn.
"It was so [smokey] you couldn't see anybody inside the car," Barr said.
As the flames increased to three feet, Miles said the car's front passengers' side door opened.
"And a little kid comes out," Miles said.
The 7-year-old boy told the adults he didn't know the man in the car.
Troops arrived and rescued Dawson while Barr used a fire extinguisher to control the flames. As the car burned, flames ignited at least two bullets somewhere inside the car.
"As soon as I started to spray with the fire extinguisher one went off and I backed up," Barr said. "I kept spraying and then about a minute later another went off."
Dawson is charged as a habitual offender which increased the length of prison time he faces if convicted.
The child was turned over to his mother. Dawson is believed to be a friend of the boy's older sister.
Police believe the fire happened after Dawson passed out behind the wheel with his foot on the gas pedal.
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