A 32-year-old woman from Howard Lake, Minn., died Tuesday night when the motorcycle on which she was a passenger crashed on a northern Minnesota highway after fleeing a traffic stop, the State Patrol said.

The crash happened around 6 p.m. Tuesday on Hwy. 89 near milepost 7 in Liberty Township in Beltrami County.

According to the patrol, two people were on the 2006 Suzuki motorcycle. Driver Michael Joseph Bahl, 34, of Maplewood, suffered critical injuries. Passenger Nicole Annette Hahn died at the scene.

The patrol said it was unknown if the two were wearing helmets, and also not known if alcohol was involved.

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768