Police say a passing motorist probably saved the life of a passenger in a crash that killed the driver of a ute near Collie on Thursday afternoon.
The Ford Falcon ute was driving south west on the Collie-Williams Road when it left the road, ran onto a gravel verge and slid into a tree about 3pm.
The driver’s side of the ute hit the tree, and a fire broke out in the engine bay.
A 20-year-old man who was driving died at the scene.
The passenger, a 22-year-old man from Bunbury, was knocked unconscious in the crash.
A passing motorist pulled him from the wreckage and extinguished the fire.
The passenger was taken to Bunbury Hospital.
An investigation is underway into the cause of the crash.