Red sandstones with the same size containing pre-existing single crack were taken as the experimental targets for static and dynamic loading tests. Hydraulic servo presses were employed for uniaxial compression experiment and SHPB was used for impact test. The corresponding static and dynamic stress-strain curves were obtained. The crack propagation of samples under different loading conditions were obtained with the camera system. The crack propagation, compressive strength and energy characteristics of samples under static loading and dynamic impact loading with different speeds were analyzed. The results show that the crack initiation, development and final fracture mode of the samples are closely related to the angle of pre-existing crack and strain rate. Compared with samples under static loading, tensile and shear mixed cracks, layer separation cracks and more far-field cracks appeared in the samples under dynamic loading. With the increase of strain rate, the samples with pre-existing crack change from tensile crack to X-shaped shear failure in the range of medium strain rate. The compressive strength of the sample is related to the crack propagation. The total energy absorbed by the sample is approximately linear with the static and dynamic uniaxial compression strength. Under different loading conditions, the compressive strength of samples with 45° crack is the lowest. Under static loading, the pre-existing crack with different angles show the different energy storage limit and characteristics of ductility and brittleness of samples. Under dynamic loading, the higher the strain rate is, the higher the sample energy absorption will be. And subsequently the higher the energy dissipation density and energy dissipation rate will be obtained, which means the influence of crack angle on dissipated energy density and energy dissipation rate is more significant. Compared with static loading, the main influencing factors of dissipated energy density under dynamic loading are more diverse and complex.