A man fleeing from a traffic stop on a motorcycle died after seriously crashing into a SUV in Loveland on Friday night.

Just after 8 p.m., deputies from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on a motorcycle traveling at high speeds near East 7th Street and Boise Avenue, according to a Loveland Police Department news release.

During the stop, the motorcycle rider fled the scene, again at high speeds, police said.

Authorities decided not to pursue after losing sight of the motorcycle.

Loveland police then responded to a crash near Eisenhower Boulevard and Denver Avenue, where authorities found the motorcycle had crashed into a small SUV, according to the police.

Authorities said the motorcycle rider, a 37-year-old man, was transported to the hospital, where he later died.

The SUV driver sustained minor injuries. The SUV also sustained heavy damage, police noted.

Later in the investigation, authorities determined the motorcycle driver was a “habitual traffic offender” whose license was revoked, according to police.

“While those factors indicate a pattern,” police said, “this death remains a tragedy nonetheless. The SUV driver, though physically well, will carry emotional scars from such a violent and traumatic collision.”

In its news release, Loveland authorities decried a “reckless motorcycle operation.” Police said reckless motorcycle driving has become more common, with reports coming in daily in the city over 45 miles north of Denver.

Loveland police officials argue reckless motorcycle riders hurt others just as much as they hurt themselves.

“If passengers had been in the SUV’s rear seats, they likely would not have survived based on the damage,” police said in the news release. “We continue working to deter reckless driving, but the challenge remains significant.”

Friday night’s motorcycle crash in Loveland remains under police investigation.