A 21-year-old woman from the Wellington region was killed in the crash.

The driver of a car that crashed in Porirua, killing a 21-year-old woman, is in police custody, and is to appear in Wellington District Court on Tuesday.

Police said the 42-year-old man faced a charge of failing to stop, and unrelated charges.

He was due to appear in court on Monday, but his appearance was delayed.

ROSS GIBLIN/FAIRFAX NZ The site of a fatal car crash in Kenepuru Drive, Porirua after a police chase on Saturday night.

He is accused of failing to stop for a routine police check on Saturday night, sparking a brief pursuit that lasted less than two minutes.

READ MORE: Passenger dead, driver seriously injured after Porirua police chase

The driver lost control in a bend on Keneperu Rd and crashed through a fence and into a pohutukawa at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research.

Both occupants had to be cut from the car and were taken to hospital, where his passenger died from her injuries.

The woman was from the Wellington region, while the man was from Horowhenua.

The investigation into the fleeing driver was ongoing.

Police were still working to inform the deceased's next of kin, some of whom were overseas.