Ex-NFL star Deltha O'Neal is EXTREMELY lucky to be alive today ... TMZ Sports has obtained the crash pics from his DUI case -- and you can see his car was a mangled mess.
As we previously reported, O'Neal was involved in a terrifying wreck back on Aug. 7, 2019 .... after cops say he lost control of his Mercedes going around a curve on a Florida roadway.
Cops say O'Neal and his passenger, Joseph Babcock, struck a curb, slammed into a utility pole, caught on fire and ripped through trees before their ride finally came to a stop.
O'Neal and Babcock were both seriously hurt in the accident ... with officials saying Babcock broke his femur, while O'Neal fractured his back and neck.
In police photos we obtained of the car shortly after the crash ... you can see it's a miracle that's ALL that happened to the guys -- 'cause there was hardly any car left post-accident.
According to court docs, O'Neal had admitted to drinking before the wreck ... and he was later arrested and hit with two counts of DUI.
Babcock, meanwhile, sued O'Neal over the crash ... demanding cash, claiming the former Denver Broncos Pro Bowl DB was responsible for all of his injuries.
O'Neal -- who logged 34 interceptions in his 9-year NFL career -- is currently fighting both cases in court. His next appearance in his criminal case is slated for April.
Deltha played 4 years with the Broncos, 4 years with the Bengals and one year with the Patriots from 2000 to 2008. He made two Pro Bowls, one in '01 and one in '05.