18-year-old dies in crash near Harrisville

HARRISVILLE — Police say a teenager, driving too fast on an icy stretch of Highway 89, was killed in a crash that ripped his car in half Friday night.

Robert Michael Flores, 18, was driving near 900 North when he tried to pass another driver at a "super-high" speed but hit a patch of ice and spun into oncoming traffic, said Harrisville Police Chief Max Jackson.

Flores' Mitsubishi spun sideways and was hit by a southbound pickup truck.

"The vehicle was sheared in half," Jackson said. "The rear portion basically welded to the front of the truck. The other half was launched another 93 yards down the highway. It was horrific. I've been a cop for 30 years, and I've never seen anything like it."

Flores died at the scene. The driver of the pickup was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries.

"For all intents and purposes, he walked away, which just amazed me," Jackson said.

Highway 89 was closed from about 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. Saturday.

— Aaron Falk