Forsyth County officials are crediting a good Samaritan for saving an 18-year-old Cumming resident from burns and possible death Thursday afternoon.

Patrick William Davis was looking at an iPod when he lost control of his 2000 Dodge Intrepid on Roper Road, between Doc Bramblett and Friendship Circle, and struck a tree, authorities said.

Sheriff's Capt. Frank Huggins said the impact spun the vehicle around.

"The car also caught fire," he said. "But [Davis] was pulled away from the car by a witness."

Fire Capt. Jason Shivers said the witness, Jesse Koehler, lives near the site of the wreck. Shivers said the man pulled the driver about 30 feet from the car, just before it caught fire.

"Had the civilian good Samaritan not acted bravely and swiftly, the driver of the vehicle may have very likely been killed or severely burned," Shivers said.

"Due to the nature of the driver's injuries, it's very unlikely that he would have been able to get himself out of the vehicle."

Shivers said there was no explosion, but the fire spread quickly through the car.

Davis has a fractured right leg, but Shivers said he "didn't suffer any burn injuries.