VASSALBORO – A young motorist was killed Friday night when his car slammed into a propane truck while he was being chased by police along U.S. 201, authorities said.

The motorist, believed to be in his 20s, was killed instantly, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the state Public Safety Department.

The crash occurred around 9 p.m. after a Kennebec County sheriff’s deputy called in the car’s license plate number and found that the registered owner had a suspended license, McCausland said.

When the deputy tried to get the motorist to pull over, he sped away with the cruiser in pursuit, the spokesman said.

The crash took place near the Winslow-Vassalboro line when the motorist crossed the center line and struck the propane truck, according to McCausland. There was no explosion and the truck driver was uninjured.

The highway was closed for several hours while crews cleared the wreckage.

The victim’s body was transported to a funeral home, where officials will try to identify it and notify relatives, McCausland said.