Late Monday morning, Algona Police stopped a northbound motorist speeding recklessly on West Valley Highway, only to see him make a U-turn and drive off.

Minutes later, officers found the car mashed into a utility pole between Algona and Pacific, and the driver dead, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office. The lone passenger, also a man, was taken to a nearby hospital, where his condition is undisclosed.

Police closed West Valley Highway between First Avenue North and Third Avenue North to conduct the investigation.