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A suspect fleeing Los Angeles authorities earlier Saturday was pulled from their wrecked Lamborghini ... just moments before the twisted heap burst into flames!

In a harrowing video exclusively obtained by TMZ ... police and good samaritans worked to pull the driver from the destroyed Lamborghini Urus, which flipped and hit a tree before the big crash along a Tarzana street.

Looks like folks got the driver out of there just in the nick of time ... because not long after they were pulled from the wreck, the whip erupted -- with more fire and smoke quickly coming from the vehicle.

Juan Soto got an amazing dinner to go along with a $756 million contract on Thursday ... TMZ Sports has learned the Mets bought their new star and his family a steak feast to celebrate his formal signing with the team.

We're told just a few hours after Soto put pen to orange-and-blue paper at Citi Field, Steve Cohen hosted the 26-year-old and his loved ones at the world-renowned Benjamin Prime in NYC.

Soto grubbed on mozzarella and tomato salad ... and for a main course, he had a ribeye (if you were wondering, he's a medium-plus temperature kind of guy).

It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, and a single moment to ruin one ... and Shawne Merriman says that's exactly what 49ers LB De'Vondre Campbell is about to experience!

"I think his reputation is done. I'd be shocked if another team decides to pick him up after the season because he now is going to be deemed unreliable," the retired former All-Pro told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs nightly on FS1) on Friday.

Of course, we're referencing an incident in the 3rd quarter of the Rams vs. 49ers Thursday Night Football game when the 9-year NFL vet refused to enter the game once Dre Greenlaw, who just replaced him in the starting lineup, went down with a leg injury.

Colby Covington twice fought for the UFC's welterweight title ... and now the 6th ranked 170 pounder, inspired by the soon-to-be 47th President of the United States, tells TMZ Sports the comeback is on!

"I'm super excited," Covington told us, adding ... "I've been hearing some of the chatter, people saying that 'Chaos' is dead. They have no idea what's coming on Saturday night. I'm going to put the best performance in my career."

"I'm super inspired by Donald Trump taking back the White House and his work ethic. I mean, he's in three different states a day. Guy doesn't sleep. So Saturday night, I'm going to make the UFC 'Great Again.' And January 20th, when Donald Trump gets inaugurated, he's going to make America great again."

Seems Todd Gurley's convinced Ashton Jeanty's going to keep on trucking through defenders even in the NFL ... 'cause he tells TMZ Sports he thinks the Boise State star is the "real deal."

We caught up with the former Rams tailback out at LAX this week ... and he made it clear he loves Jeanty's game.

"He's super nice," Gurley said. "He's the real deal."

T.I. is suing Sabrina Peterson for defamation over 3 years after she sued the rapper and made damning allegations about him ... including a claim he once held a gun to her head.

In new court documents obtained by TMZ ... T.I. claims he and his family ended their friendship with Sabrina, saying she wasn't a "positive" influence to be around.

The rapper alleges Sabrina felt spurned by this decision and, in turn, became obsessed with him and his family ... prompting SP to harass and threaten them by posting "false" and "baseless" accusations about them on social media.

Doechii has proven to be one of hip hop music's most talented rising stars this year ... and she's not taking any cultural disrespect, especially from fair-weather fans!!!

TMZ Hip Hop linked with thee Swamp Princess following her set at Top Dawg Entertainment's 11th Christmas charity event in Watts on Thursday.

No need to sugarcoat things -- Doechii flat-out tells us anyone who thinks her music is too deep simply doesn't belong, boo-boo. 💁🏾‍♀️

Top Dawg Entertainment had a lot to be thankful for in '24 but like they always do 'bout this time, their main mission is giving back!!!

The label's 11th annual Christmas holiday went down inside the Watts neighborhood's Nickerson Gardens on Thursday, boosted by homegrown super talents such as Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Jay Rock, Isaiah Rashad and many more.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up TDE's President Punch and Ab-Soul at the event and they humbly told us they're humble servants in the community when it comes to this stuff.

Trae Tha Truth used the recording studio this week to vent frustrations over the exhausting search for his missing child ... and we're hearing the hunt to find her has intensified!!!

On Friday, Trae released his newest track, "Letter to Truth Pt. 2," a musical apology and plea to his 6-year-old daughter Truth, who he last saw when he dropped her off with her mother back in August.

Trae has full custody of the child and told us this week in L.A. that he's not resting until she's back in his care. Truth's mother's whereabouts are currently unknown but she was spotted in the Los Angeles area several weeks ago.

Rapper Rio Da Yung OG was a big part of the Michigan hip hop resurgence when he was incarcerated for drug trafficking crimes in 2019 -- and he's now free to pick up where he left off musically!!!

Rio was released from federal prison on Wednesday after serving roughly 4 years and TMZ Hip Hop obtained video of his first taste of freedom ... or should we say spoils???

The "2 Faced" MC reconnected with his team and Empire label execs and immediately hopped on a private jet ... we're told he flew from Arkansas to Memphis and then ATL -- where he recorded his newest track "Rio Free."

Admiration for the man suspected of murdering the UnitedHealthcare CEO is not just perverse ... it's dangerous, Michael Moynihan tells TMZ.

The renowned journalist told "TMZ Live" ... the level of joy and satisfaction a portion of the country felt when Brian Thompson was killed last week is deeply disturbing ... but not nearly as grotesque as people fawning over Luigi Mangione.

MM contends our society is clearly in a "sick place" ... and most of the people who see Mangione as a folk hero are too young -- and uninformed -- to really consider the twisted logic of the heinous crime.

Local politicians in New Jersey are irate with the federal government's response to their recent drone problem, with multiple lawmakers telling us they want the feds to act, and they're worried their constituents will take matters into their own hands -- which could be disastrous.

We spoke with NJ Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia and Middletown Township Mayor Tony Perry about the hundreds of sightings of drones over multiple New Jersey counties in the past month ... and, in a nutshell, they say they need the federal government to act ... NOW!

Assemblywoman Fantasia tells us there has been basically no information about the unnerving situation provided by the federal government or state leaders ... and, there's even confusion on which agency is actually running the show.

Lily Phillips' tearful reaction had nothing to do with regret over sleeping with 100 men in 24 hours ... telling TMZ she was merely exhausted after the sexcapade.

The OnlyFans model, who made headlines for her recent sexathon, tells us ... she got emotional and broke down into tears in the aftermath of her feat due to fatigue -- and guilt that not all of the guys got to have their promised 5 minutes with her due to logistics.

She emphasizes she has zero regrets ... and is as dedicated as ever to try and break the record of sleeping with 1,000 men in 24 hours. Another woman holds the world record -- 919 men at a 2004 event.

Luigi Mangione's family appears to be distancing themselves from the Brian Thompson murder investigation ... in which the Ivy League graduate is the main suspect.

Attorney David B. Irwin, who has been advising the Mangione family following Luigi's arrest, tells TMZ ... the suspected shooter's loved ones are in the dark about the case -- saying they don't "know all the facts."

In fact, the attorney tells us the family only knows what they "read in the papers" ... making it clear they aren't involved in Luigi's legal woes.

James Kennedy is refusing to lay low in the aftermath of his domestic violence arrest ... we've learned the "Vanderpump Rules" star is keeping all his planned gigs for the foreseeable future.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... James isn't canceling ANY of his upcoming DJ gigs ... so, fans should expect to see him at his show in Milwaukee Saturday night.

We're told the reality TV star is choosing to move forward and focus on work ... remaining committed to his scheduled shows in Milwaukee, Seattle, Portland, Boston, Kansas City, and Las Vegas.

The Yankees will head into next season without Juan Soto, but fear not, New York fans ... Johnny Damon tells TMZ Sports they might just be better without the star slugger!!

We caught up with the 51-year-old former Pinstripes outfielder on Thursday -- just hours after the Mets introduced Soto to their fanbase -- and he said straight up, his former team might come out of this situation just fine.

His reasoning? Damon says the Yankees can now take the $750 million they had earmarked for Soto -- and spend it on a bunch of key pieces that'll make them perhaps even more formidable in 2025.