A Texas college student suffered “catastrophic” burns after an alleged drunk driver struck him on his drive to campus, according to reports and authorities.

Aidan Poole, 19, was driving on I-27 to Texas Tech University when an alleged intoxicated driver, Thomas Rich, hit Poole’s car, sending it airborne, and causing his gas tank to explode and erupt into flames, according to multiple local outlets. 3

The fiery collision left Poole with severe second and third-degree burns, KVII reported.

Rich has since been arrested by the Hale County Sheriff’s Office and charged with intoxication assault, according to the outlet.

“You don’t ever want to hear your child cry and scream, and just seeing all of his burns is something you never want to see,” the victim’s mother, Kristi Poole, told th

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