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OREGON CITY, Ore. -- An Oregon City teen lost his leg after his good friend accidentally ran over him while experimenting with the daredevil driving stunt called “drifting” seen in action movies, police said.

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The driver, identified as Traves Reynolds, 21, was racing through a neighborhood and sliding around the corners trying a stunt from action movies that’s popular with some teens, according to Sgt. Jim Band with the Oregon City Police Department.

Then, Reynolds started spinning “cookies” as Johnathan Lecon, 19, hung out a back seat window of his Lincoln town car, Band said.

At some point, Lecon fell out of the car without Reynolds realizing it, and then he was also run over.

To make matters worse, Band said one of the tires had been worn down to the rim during the “drifting” and the sharp edge nearly cut off Lecon’s leg.

Sgt. Band happened to be nearby and was first on the scene.

“The kid was in bad shape, his leg was just barely still attached,” he said. “That tire was bald down to the cables and then it finally blew… it was literally like a saw.”

Lecon was rushed to Oregon State Health and Science Hospital but doctors could not save his leg, which was eventually amputated.

Reynolds was arrested on several charges, including drunk driving and second-degree assault, even though detectives don’t believe he hurt his friend intentionally.

“A car can be a dangerous and deadly weapon. The problem with ‘drifting’ is that as soon as your car goes out of control, you nail the gas, so you’re creating a situation where you’re decreasing the control of the car and increasing horsepower as much as you can… that’s the worst thing,” Band said.

Reynolds had no criminal history and was extremely distraught over the accident, Band said.

The Sgt. was especially concerned about the growing interest teens seem to have with “drifting” and hoped this terrible accident would serve as a conduit for parents to talk to their kids about the deadly dangers.

“I hope it’s not something that becomes more prevalent. People should know they will be arrested because it’s very reckless,” he said.

The accident happened near the corner of Division and 16th Street in Oregon City. Police said a third person was in the car when it happened and fled the scene.

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