Vancouver teen dies after crash that split car in half

A Vancouver woman whose vehicle crashed into a light pole and split in two has died, police said Tuesday morning.

Molly Mayo, 19, was driving a Volkswagen Jetta east on Mill Plain Boulevard when she lost control and hit a light pole around 1:30 a.m. Monday, Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp said.

Her friend Britt Counts, 18, said she heard about Mayo’s death during work Monday afternoon.

“It’s very heartbreaking because Molly was such a kind soul,” Counts said.

Counts and Mayo met freshman year during choir at Union High School and graduated in 2012. Mayo was studying at Clark College this quarter. Counts last spoke to Mayo on Saturday.

“She always had a smile on her face, always, which is good because she had a beautiful smile,” Counts said.

When she heard about the car crash, Counts tried to visit Mayo at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, but only family was allowed to visit.

The passenger in the car, Caylie Nelson, also 19 and a Vancouver resident, was taken to the same hospital and is listed in satisfactory condition in the trauma ward.

The crash was reported at 1:41 a.m., and the intersection was closed until about 7:30 a.m. Speed is being considered a factor. Kapp said it is unknown if other factors contributed to the crash.