VASSALBORO – A Vassalboro man whose license was under suspension 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.

Michael Berry, 26, was killed instantly, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the state Public Safety Department.

McCausland said Berry had a long list of traffic convictions and that his license had been suspended 22 times, most recently for failing to pay fines and not having insurance.

The crash occurred around 9 p.m. after Kennebec County sheriff’s Deputy John Bourque 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 with speeds reaching nearly 100 mph, the spokesman said.

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

McCausland said the car was registered in another man’s name, and that it turned out Berry had recently purchased it but had failed to register it in his own name.