For almost two years, James Bingham’s off-road vehicle had provided endless fun on camping and hunting trips in Idaho. The vehicle, a four-seat Polaris RZR, could zip across the sand hills at up to 80 mph.
He expected the same kind of thrill on a weekend outing with friends in May. But minutes into the first ride, with Steven Groves, 23, in the passenger seat, chaos erupted.
After struggling to unbuckle his harness, Bingham escaped with severe burns. Groves, however, was trapped as flames covered him. Not until his harness melted did he fall to the ground, his body still on fire.