A WOMAN died Thursday afternoon in Huntington Beach after her car crashed into a tree.

A 44-year-old woman died after her car crashed into a tree in Huntington Beach Thursday afternoon. The woman, identified by the Orange County Coroner as Sharlene Lyle of Ione, California, was killed in the incident at around 1:30 p.m. in the area of Main Street and Palm Avenue.

According to the Huntington Beach Police Department, the woman’s car – a 2000 blue Nissan Maxima – was involved in a minor traffic collision at Main and Orange streets. But instead of stopping at the scene, the vehicle raced north on Main Street at “a high rate of speed” and smashed into a tree north of Palm Avenue.

The investigation is continuing and no citations have been issued and no arrests made. It’s not known if alcohol was a factor in the crash. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call HBPD Accident Investigator Robert Barr at (714) 536-5666 or Josh Page at (714) 536-5670.