MANCHESTER, Conn. -- Two people were sent to the hospital after an overnight crash in Manchester that happened on Interstate 384 just before 1 a.m.

The Manchester Fire Department said a car ran off the eastbound side of the highway and hit a tree.

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Car Runs Off Highway In Manchester

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The force of the crash caused the 2008 Mazda to split in half, officials said.

The fire department had to cut through tree limbs to reach the driver, 30-year-old Dawn Harris, of Manchester. She was still belted in the car and semi-conscious when emergency crews reached her, officials said.

Her only passenger, 26-year-old Timothy Evans, was thrown from the vehicle and found a short distance away.

Both Harris and Evans are expected to be OK.

The State Police Accident Reconstruction Team spent three hours along Interstate 384 trying to determine what caused Harris to lose control between exits 3 and 4.

Residents who live along Spring Street, which abuts the highway, said crashes and speeding are a regular occurrence through here.

Ron Berlin, of Manchester, said, “The motorcycles and the cars, you can hear them racing up and down at night. It's very loud and you just wait for a big accident to happen at times.”

“The speed limit definitely has to be reinforced, maybe even lowered to 65. People go 70, 75 especially late when they know nobody is watching," said Pat Botticello, of Manchester.