PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland Police are investigating a high speed crash that cut a car in half Tuesday night.
Police said that at around 8:30 p.m., the car was headed westbound on SE Holgate Blvd. at a high rate of speed when it hit a taxi, then lost control and hit a metal pole that holds up a crosswalk signal near SE 32nd Ave. Investigators said the impact of the crash cut the car in half.
The driver, later identified as Cassandra Lukkasson, 25, survived the crash and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No one else was hurt in the incident.
Lukkasson was later charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and criminal mischief.
She has not had a license since 2005, police said, and the Multnomah County jail has eight booking mugs of her for driving-related arrests.
Neighbor Gayle Meyer said she was in her bedroom when she heard a loud bang outside. She thought the car may have been going 70 mph before the crash, an usually high speed for the area.
"I've never seen anything like this before," said Meyer. "It was loud and it was scary."
