Updated on Wendesday, March 4, 2009:

A Beeville man died and his wife and son were taken to a hospital after a pickup truck in which they were riding crashed just west of the city on Saturday.

Antonio “Tony” Flores, 53, appeared to have died from the smoke and fire, according to a fatality report filed by Highway Patrol Trooper Carlos Martinez.

Flores’ body was found just 15 feet from the 2005 Dodge dually pickup truck, which had crashed into a power pole on Private Road 3004, a caliche lane off Harrison Road, around 10:30 p.m.

The report indicated that Flores’ son, Orlando “Butch” Flores, 25, was driving the truck when it crashed.

The report also revealed that Orlando Flores was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol when the truck veered off the private road and skidded toward a power pole. The driver tried to stop but apparently stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake, according to Trooper Martinez’s report.

The truck hit the pole, knocked it over and sparks from the electric line quickly ignited the heavy, knee-high dry grass in the field where the pole was located.

Witnesses at the scene said the truck struck the pole right behind the passenger seat of the one-ton vehicle and the front-seat passenger – Antonio Flores – was apparently trapped inside for a while.

The driver and a back-seat passenger, Flores’ wife, Olga Campos Flores, 49, managed to get out of the truck and make their way to safety.

Martinez’s report said Antonio Flores did eventually manage to get out of the truck but was apparently overcome by smoke and fire and collapsed a short distance away from the burning pickup truck.

Members of the Beeville Volunteer Fire Department were called to the scene to fight the brush fire.

According to the fire report, 18 firemen responded to the emergency with three brush trucks, a pumper truck, three brush trucks, a tanker and a rescue vehicle.

Fire Chief Donald C. Morris took charge of the scene where the truck came to rest and Assistant Fire Chief Bill Burris led the effort to extinguish the burning grass.

Burris said firemen were at the scene about 90 minutes, fighting a blaze that covered about five acres.

“It could’ve been more,” Burris said of the area that burned.

“They told us one person was still in the vehicle,” Burris said. He would not allow firemen to start putting water on the fire until a worker from the San Patricio Electric Co-op arrived about five minutes after firemen got there. Once power was disconnected from the fallen line, firemen quickly got the fire around the vehicle under control and rushed in to find Antonio Flores face down in the burned grass.

Burris said the fire destroyed the pickup.

Flores’ wife and son were taken to Christus Spohn Hospital Beeville for treatment. It was not known Tuesday how seriously they were hurt.