A car San Marcos deputies chased but lost in Escondido early Monday was found ablaze in an unincorporated area of Vista, officials said.

At about 1 a.m., a deputy stopped a silver Nissan sedan near Nordahl Road and Mission Avenue because the driver had not turned the headlights on, sheriff's Sgt. Dan Deese said.

A woman got out on the driver's side but immediately hopped back in the car and sped off, Deese said.

The deputy pursued the Nissan but lost track of it in an apartment complex on North Iris Lane in Escondido, Deese said.

A short time later, deputies in Vista responded to a vehicle fire and found the car involved in the pursuit fully engulfed in flames, Deese said.

The Nissan had not been reported stolen as of 8 a.m., he said, but it is not uncommon for car thieves to burn the vehicles they steal to destroy evidence linking them to the crime.

No one was in custody Monday in connection with the pursuit. Deese said he did not know if the woman was alone in the car.

The sheriff's arson unit was investigating the car fire.