CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer who pulled a driver from his burning car early Friday suffered minor injuries but is expected to be OK.

Officer William Haynes was in traffic on Interstate 485 near Johnston Road about 8 a.m. when a landscaping truck slammed into a BMW. The BMW then hit Haynes’ patrol car from behind and burst into flames.

Officer Todd Watson said he happened to be about 100 yards away and saw Haynes pulling the other driver out of the burning car.

“I was up there with him; I got him to lie down. He was feeling a lot of pain. I guess the adrenaline was wearing off,” he said.

Haynes and two others went to the hospital, but police said they're all expected to recover. Haynes has already been released from the hospital.

Police have charged the driver of the landscaping truck, 18-year-old Wayne Smith, with failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision.