ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
A quick-thinking witness snapped dramatic pictures of the heroic passersby who pulled victims out of a fiery wreck on I-85 Wednesday afternoon.
Jerry Quarles took the pictures and said he is still shaken up by what he saw.
"The flames started reaching higher and higher," said Quarles. "I could feel the flames on the other side of the wall."
A pickup truck came barreling the wrong way down the northbound lanes of I-85 right near I-285.
Dash-cam video, shot from the tractor trailer of Arnold Gray, shows the pickup speed down the highway.
Gray swerved just in time and narrowly avoided the pickup.
Seconds later, that pickup slammed head-on into another truck hauling a single-wheel trailer.
"It was just an incredible sight," said Quarles who was driving in the southbound lanes.
The smoke billowing up on the other side of the highway grabbed his attention, so he grabbed his camera.
"I just happened to be a the right place at the wrong time," said Quarles.
Quarles immediately began shooting pictures of the heroic passersby pulling out the driver of the truck that was hit.
"It was incredibly moving to see these men risk their lives to help these innocent victims out of that wreck," said Quarles.
That driver, who police identified as Gary Tucker from New York, survived.
His passenger and the driver headed the wrong way did not.
"It's obviously a great loss to humanity when someone loses their life like that," said Quarles.
Quarles said he was so moved by the courage he saw, he had to shoot it and share it.
"I thought it was important to capture their bravery on film," said Quarles.
Police are still trying to figure out why that driver was headed the wrong way and if he may have been involved in other traffic incidents nearby.
They're also trying to get in touch with Gray, hoping he can give them more clues.
Copyright 2012 WGCL-TV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
Photo by: Jerry Quarles
