KENT, Wash. — Kent police are looking for a suspect they said stole a car and led officers on a chase that ended with a crash that would become fatal days later.
"I saw my car in flames,” Ana Alvarez said. “It was like destroyed. I couldn't believe it."
Alvarez is still in disbelief her car was taken for a joy ride.
"They destroy everything just for fun,” Alvarez said. “Sometimes I don't have money to make payments. It's hard to be a single mom with four kids."
Police said this all started when Alvarez saw her car getting stolen from her boyfriend's driveway around 1 a.m. on July 12 while she was in the process of moving in. Alvarez said all her family's most important items were in the car at the time of the theft.
"School tablets, computers, all in the car,” Alvarez said. “My documents, birth certificate, my daughters’ certificates, social security, everything. Passport. Everything was there."
She reported the crime to the police and the next night she saw her stolen car at a nearby apartment complex and contacted the police again. The vehicle sped off when an officer tried to pull it over and a pursuit followed.
"Police was chasing them, and I was behind the police chasing the police because I want to get my car back," Alvarez said.
A short time later, police said the suspect crashed into another car near the Home Depot about 2 miles south of where the pursuit started. The driver in that car, a 41-year-old Auburn man, was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Police said the suspect ran away from the scene and a 14-year-old girl was left behind with an injured leg.
"I'm angry,” Alvarez said. “I'm really frustrated. I think they have to do something because it's not only me, it's been going on like stealing cars."
Police said they did not arrest the 14-year-old because they did not have probable cause for an arrest.