One man is in serious condition in a Saskatoon hospital after the car he was driving was ripped in half during a brutal crash early Sunday.

The car crashed into a light pole on the centre median of Airport Road just after 3 a.m. The force of the impact so strong that the front end of the vehicle was sheared off and ended up in the opposite lane.

The occupant of the vehicle, a 23-year-old male, suffered serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital, Saskatoon police said in a news release.

Witnesses say the driver lost control and hit the light standard. Police are investigating but say speed was a factor in the incident.