SAN ANTONIO -- A teenager died after police said he crashed near the Alamodome while trying to run from officers.

The medical examiner said Michael William Mattingly, 17, was killed in the crash, but said they still don't know why he tried to run.

Police said that at about 4:50 a.m. an officer on patrol in the downtown area around Sunday morning saw Michael make a traffic violation at the intersection of Flores and Nueva streets -- near police headquarters.

The officer said that when he started following the truck, Michael made a left turn without signaling and then sped off.

A police spokesman said the officer began to pursue the truck down Market Street but the officer stopped chasing the truck when he realized it was too dangerous.

"As they were coming eastbound on Market Street, the officer noticed the road started to wind quite a bit the officer backed off from the pursuit and as he came into the 100 block of Montana, that's where he found the vehicle where it has wrecked out," said Joe Rios, of the San Antonio Police Department.

Michael's silver Chevrolet Silverado pick up truck slammed into a large concrete pillar and cut the vehicle in half, killing him.

Police said they are still waiting for toxicology results to find out if alcohol or drugs also played a role in the crash.