A woman died early Saturday morning after crashing her car into a tree at the corner of Chapel and Olive streets, according to New Haven police.

Meriden resident Naika Nicol Rosa, 20, lost control of the car while eluding the police officers who had pulled her over. She was pronounced dead on the scene. Her passenger, Wandaliz Valle-Quinonez, was seriously injured in the crash and — after being freed from the car by New Haven firefighters — was brought to Yale-New Haven Hospital. Her status is unknown.

“The vehicle came to rest against a tree,” said New Haven police Sgt. John Wolcheski. “I’m not aware of the cause of the accident, but weather conditions and speed were probably a factor.”

The accident report stated that Rosa was driving westbound on Chapel Street when her car “lost lateral stability” and went off the right side of the road into a tree.

New Haven police requested that the Connecticut State Police begin an investigation, said Trooper Kelly Grant, the New Haven Register reported Sunday.

“New Haven has called us in and asked us to do it. Whenever a department calls us in and asks for help, we come in,” Grant said.

By Saturday morning the car remained at the crash scene as the state police began their investigation. New Haven police closed Olive, Court, Wooster, Chapel and Academy streets.

FINNEGAN SCHICK