A teenage driver who crashed into the front yard of a Vancouver home last year had been zooming through the city at five times the legal speed limit, according to police.

Given investigators’ estimate that the vehicle was travelling upwards of 250 kilometres an hour, Const. Brian Montague it’s astounding that neither the driver, who was 18 years old at the time of the collision, or his younger passenger were killed.

“I would imagine it’s nothing more than a fluke that we didn’t pull two dead bodies out of there,” Montague told reporters Wednesday.

If the car had slammed into another vehicle instead of veering off the road into someone’s yard, “both vehicles would have been just disintegrated,” he added.

The black Mercedes was headed westbound on Southwest Marine Drive around 3 a.m. on April 12 when the young driver lost control near 57th Avenue.

By the time the vehicle, which belonged to one of the driver’s parents, came to a halt, it was a mangled wreck. Photos from the scene depict a crumpled hood and bloody, deflated airbags.

Somehow, the driver suffered only minor injuries, and was released from hospital the next day, but police said his then-17-year-old passenger didn’t fare nearly as well.

“The passenger was quite badly injured. He had head injuries, facial injuries, some broken bones. I believe he’s gone through at least one surgery since he was released from hospital. He continues to recover,” Montague said.

Investigators said an initial look at the debris, skid marks and damage to the vehicle made it obvious that speed was a factor, and further investigation led the stunning final estimate of more than 200 kilometres over the limit.

The driver, who is a Chinese national, returned to China during the investigation. Police said a warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was picked up after he recently arrived at Vancouver International Airport.

Montague said the young man is believed to have been returning to Canada to attend a citizenship ceremony.

Yue Hui Wang, 19, has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm and released from custody pending his next court appearance.

Police said Wang has been ordered to surrender his passport, and is barred from sitting in the driver’s seat of any vehicle.