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Francis Howell Central High School closed after student drives car through front doors

The student was later arrested by a Cottleville police officer. School officials did not identify the student and said a motive is not known at this time.

ST CHARLES, Mo. — A Francis Howell Central High School student was behind the wheel of the car that drove through the front doors of the school Wednesday morning, according to school district officials. The crash forced the high school to close its doors and cancel classes Wednesday.

The school told 5 On Your Side a Ford Flex drove into the front doors at 3:45 a.m.

The student "wasn't injured too badly," according to the school district's spokesman, and was able to walk away from the crash. The student was later arrested by a Cottleville police officer. School officials did not identify the student and said a motive is not known at this time.

ACT testing was set to take place at the school Wednesday and will have to be rescheduled.

Credit: Francis Howell School District

School officials said they're doing everything they can to clean up the mess and reopen for class Thursday.

However, as of 8 a.m., the vehicle was still inside the school. The car still had gas in the tank, which is a safety concern. Emergency crews are on the way to safely remove the car from the building.

The car damaged several sets of glass doors. The crash left behind shattered glass and twisted metal in the front entrance.

School officials also said they needed to close Wednesday due to security. The crash damaged a security system used on the front doors, which are usually locked during the day, forcing visitors to be buzzed in. The school will have to come up with an alternative until it's fixed, said Matt Deichmann, the chief communications and community relations officer for the Francis Howell School District.

School officials said the student had to have been driving at a high rate of speed.

WATCH: Car pulled out of Francis Howell Central High School

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