NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are investigating a multi-car crash that left one person dead in Washington Heights.

It happened around 4:30 a.m. Monday on Amsterdam Avenue at 157th Street.

Police believe a car heading southbound on Amsterdam ran a red light, striking a vehicle headed westbound.

Several witnesses said police appeared to be either chasing or following the car prior to the crash, 1010 WINS' Derricke Dennis reported.

"It really doesn't make sense," one witness told Dennis. "I don't know what happened, but that car was folded in half."

A female passenger in one of the cars died at the scene. The two drivers had only non-life threatening injuries.

The NYPD is denying any kind of chase, Dennis reported.

The investigation is still ongoing.