An Oakland officer attempted to pull over the Lexus, which did not have its headlights on, at West Grand Avenue and Filbert Street at 6:22 a.m., police spokesman Officer Jeff Thomason said.
The driver pulled over, but as the officer walked up to the vehicle the driver suddenly accelerated and fled west on West Grand Avenue, Thomason said.
The officer went back to his car but decided not to pursue the Lexus, Thomason said.
"The officer knew that he wasn't going to be able to catch up with him," Thomason said.
Almost immediately after fleeing from the officer, the driver of the Lexus lost control on the Maritime Street on-ramp to eastbound Interstate Highway 580, California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Morgan said.
"That on-ramp has a very sharp turn and the driver evidently tried to negotiate that turn at too high of a rate of speed," Morgan said.
He lost control and the Lexus went over a concrete guardrail, landed in brush below and rolled several times before coming to rest in the two right lanes of eastbound Interstate Highway 80, Morgan said.
A female passenger in the front seat was ejected and died, Morgan said. The driver was taken to Highland Hospital. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Several lanes of eastbound I-80 were blocked while crews removed the "very badly mangled" Lexus, Morgan said. All lanes were reopened by 7:52 a.m.
The CHP is continuing to investigate the crash.
