A Sweet Home man who was badly burned after his vehicle caught fire following a crash is in serious condition at Emmanuel Legacy Burn Center in Portland, a family friend said Monday.
According to a Sheriff’s log and a GoFundMe page started for Livengood, 20, he and his girlfriend, Brooke Nelson, 19, of Scio, were injured in a wreck that occurred at 3:26 p.m. on Aug. 1 on Brewster Road, north of Lebanon.
Nikki Stafford, who was coach of the Sweet Home High School Forestry Club, when Livengood as a team member, said the two came upon roadwork on Brewster, at which another vehicle was stopped in the road.
“He didn’t want to hit the vehicle, so he swerved into the ditch and hit a telephone pole,” Stafford said.
The impact downed power lines. Livengood, who, Stafford said, was on break from his job as a wildland firefighter, planned to stay in the vehicle until he realized that the grass was on fire and had ignited the vehicle, according to the gofundme page, entitled “Doug our Hero needs help.”
“He suffered burns pulling his girlfriend out of the burning vehicle,” Stafford said.
According to the gofundme page, Livengood suffered second- and third-degree burns over 40 percent of his arms and legs.
He has had two surgeries and will need more, Stafford said.
The gofundme effort had raised $2,200 as of Monday night.
For more information, visit http://www.gofundme.com/doug-our-hero-needs-help.