Police said in a statement that a patrol officer began pursuing the Toyota Camry Saturday morning after seeing the driver speeding on a street and making erratic lane changes.
Police said the woman drove onto Interstate 5 and sped up as he tried to pull her over. The chase continued through another freeway and several surface streets before the driver struck the pole.
Police said the woman was trapped inside the damaged vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not been released.