Deputies later recovered the stolen BMW after a pursuit topping 100 mph and arrested three juveniles found fleeing from the vehicle.
TACOMA, WA — A Tacoma woman says three youths forced her from her BMW at gunpoint in late August, beginning a frightening encounter that was followed hours later by a high-speed pursuit and the arrests of three teenagers, according to the woman and law enforcement officials.
Kimberlee Calabazas told KIRO 7 that she had exited Highway 16 and stopped near an AMPM store around South Union Avenue and South 31st Street when she noticed a red laser dot on her body. She said three boys approached her vehicle and one struck the driver-side window with a firearm while ordering her to get out. Calabazas said she was pulled from the vehicle and threatened before the group drove away in her BMW.
The car later became the focus of a Pierce County Sheriff’s Office pursuit on Aug. 29. The sheriff’s office said a deputy spotted a white BMW SUV traveling south on Pacific Avenue South at about 7:30 a.m., moving at high speed and weaving through traffic. Dispatchers told deputies that a similar BMW had recently been stolen at gunpoint in Tacoma and that its occupants were reportedly linked to overnight criminal activity.
Authorities have not publicly detailed every event that occurred between the carjacking and the pursuit, and the sheriff’s office has not released information establishing that each person arrested took part in every reported offense. Deputies said the BMW may also have been connected to several vehicle prowls involving firearms and possible juvenile suspects.
The deputy began pursuing the BMW based on the information available, the sheriff’s office said. The vehicle continued south at speeds exceeding 100 mph. During the chase, deputies said, the BMW went into a ditch before recovering and eventually lost two tires. The damaged vehicle later stopped in the roadway.
Three juveniles ran from the BMW after it stopped, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies quickly located and detained all three. Authorities identified the driver as a 14-year-old boy and said the passengers were 14 and 16 years old. Because they are juveniles, their names were not released.
Deputies said the BMW was left running when it was abandoned. Two firearms were visible inside the vehicle, with one on the driver’s side and another on the passenger’s side, according to the sheriff’s office. All three teenagers were booked into Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center in Tacoma.
Calabazas later described the carjacking as happening both rapidly and almost in slow motion as she realized a firearm was pointed at her. She told KIRO 7 that one of the attackers pressed a gun against her and threatened to shoot her while the group took control of the vehicle. No serious physical injuries to Calabazas were reported in the accounts reviewed for this story.
Investigators have not publicly released final charging information tying the three teenagers to specific offenses connected with the carjacking or the other reported overnight incidents. The sheriff’s office said the BMW had been reported stolen at gunpoint in Tacoma and that the investigation involved concerns about stolen vehicles, firearms and reckless driving by juveniles.
Author note: Last updated September 14, 2026.