She's running. >> This begins as a vehicle theft complaint, but the woman deputies have just caught is a career criminal with a long history of offenses. And now the horror of what she has just done is about to unfold. >> Nice work, lady. Congratulations. >> You want to just go inside? Oh, that's right. You're the victim, right? I hope you get >> I mean >> it's around 2:10 p.m. on September 7th, 2024, and these King County deputies are in a Washington neighborhood after receiving reports of a car theft from a residence. But by the time the day is over, this report will become just a small part of the larger chaos that is about to unfold. >> Literally right under my nose while uh I was working in that bedroom up there. uh truck is right here. I get a text from my neighbor, you know, saying someone's in your truck or actually said someone went in first. So, it's unclear whether I actually had the the keys in the vehicle or I just had them on my desk there. But either way, literally creeping right under my nose. I I I'm just speechless. >> So, you were upstairs taking a nap. >> Yeah. >> Truck got stolen. >> Yeah. >> And then you went back went back inside again and no one else was inside. >> No one else is inside. >> Okay. And that was about 10 minutes ago. Yeah. >> Did you see any signs of entry into your house? >> No, cuz the door was open. I mean, I'm literally working on the house in the process of working on it. The the truck the back doors of the truck were open. I immediately got on my shoes and drove in the direction that she said, but it was too late. I didn't see anything, obviously. >> What these deputies don't yet know is that the car thief is no ordinary criminal. It's 33-year-old Nicole Renee Romangh, whose extensive criminal history includes 47 prior arrests, four felony convictions, 25 misdemeanor convictions, three active warrants, a suspended driver's license, and a severe problem [music] that has fueled much of her criminal activity. But what she plans to do today is about to make even that lengthy history seem like just the beginning. >> It's a Chevy Silverado uh 2500 all black. And you and you [clears throat] think they took the keys when they stole it? >> Yeah. >> Where were the keys? >> They were either in the vehicle or on uh my desk. And really, I wasn't uh fully asleep because she had already my neighbor texted me about something else before before that. >> Do you guys need to talk to me? I was the neighbor who saw the girl. >> You are? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> This morning at 10:30, I was at work and I on my Ring camera, I saw somebody walking around my backyard, a guy in all black and a hoodie. So, when I got home, I was checking my property to see if anybody broke in or anything. And so, I was looking through this window and I saw the girl coming from this way and she looked a little disoriented and it looked like she was going to this house, but then she kind of just slowly turned and was like looking and went to this side and I was like, "This doesn't look right." So, I like left the window to go grab my phone and like text him. I was like, "Hey, there's a girl on your property." I was like, "Do you know her?" And then she just slowly like walked in the car, started it. I was like, "She's getting in your car." And I tried to call him and then she just drove off. >> For now, the hope is to catch Nicole in the car owner surveillance cameras and get a description out to neighboring counties. But soon this possibility is going to take a deflating turn. >> There it is. Home. You guys take a look? >> Yeah. Oh. Uh, so there's different cameras. You're just on one of the many cameras. So that's >> So this this car >> There you go. >> So that's your neighbor. >> Yeah. >> Where's the car supposed to be? >> Right there. Right where she is. >> It's already gone, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. [snorts] So there's no video before that. >> Why does it catch everything yesterday and not today? That's unbelievable. >> Yeah. I'll let you go through. Uh if that changes, just give us a call. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It only catches you guys afterwards figuring out. >> No way. I could see her pulling off though on my ring. See, she's leaving with his truck. >> So, yeah, I looked through all his cameras. He doesn't have anything, so he doesn't need a link. And then she just showed me her grainy video, but it just shows the car waiting. >> I'll take it anyways. Yeah. >> But by this time, Nicole had already started driving around cities in Thirstston County in search of what she had really stolen the car for. Over an hour later, around 3:40 p.m., a resident in the area [music] called the county emergency line to report that a scaryl looking woman had entered his house looking to buy. Even after he asked her to leave, she continued looking through his garage and vehicle windows before driving away in a newer black pickup truck. But [music] before deputies could follow up on this lead, another more concerning call came in just 15 minutes later. A woman reported that Nicole had entered her garage asking for [music] and when she asked her to leave, Nicole became agitated and tried to hit her with a truck before driving away. >> Stop right there cuz I don't want you to come in. I don't know you. >> You wouldn't know where uh to give me a second, would you? >> The truck's description from both callers matched the description given by the owner who reported the theft. With Nicole behaving erratically and appearing desperate to get dogs, [music] thirst county deputies immediately began surveilling the surrounding areas for the vehicle. And soon one of them is going to spot the truck, [music] setting off a chase that Nicole is not going to give up easily. >> Pacific Avenue. Uh we cleared all the traffic on Pacific. Finally, we're going to be about 90 miles an hour. Advisy. See if someone gets spike coming up to Pacific. >> Copy. See if Lacy has spikes approaching Silicon Pacific. >> Through the green line at Silicon on lane before I even picked it up. It just flew a tire and hit the median full drive sign through the green light. 50 mph. Medium traffic. >> Keep going west. Straight through. Yep. >> Passing cover 50 miles hour. Medium traffic. >> Coming up to this next roundabout here. Make it through. It looks like it's trying to pass cars in between a few roundabout ways. >> Trying to pass cars in between the one roundabout. >> The front right wheel is completely locked up. completely clean right still. >> Despite the spikes hitting the truck only minutes into the chase, they have almost no effect on Nicole, who continues driving recklessly at high speeds with no regard for human life on the busy roads. And even when things seem to turn in their favor, it won't be enough to deter Nicole's desperation to escape. >> 60 mph coming up to St. Martin. Go westbound Pacific. Westbound Pacific approaching St. 60 mph right off now. It's starting to smoke everywhere. Probably from the tires. Going up the red light at college. >> Copy. Approaching the red light at college. >> 89 on Slater Kitty. >> Out of the way. >> You just pulled out in front of me. Never mind. I'll take over. >> 89's on Slater, Kenny. I'll try to pick it up. >> Oh my god. Get the green. Spark flying everywhere now. >> Light 89's behind him. >> Copy. 89 behind us. Blue light. It's like later. >> Yeah. >> It's like Olympia just had another good spike, but we're not slow at 80 mph. >> Happy. We had a good spike. 80 milesPH still. >> 59. Just head on. >> Phones road. Phone's road. >> On your location exactly. >> Phones. Phones. Copy. She's running. >> Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. >> You okay? >> God damn it. >> Ow. Ow. Why are you doing that? You should have stopped following me. >> Stop. >> Damn. What? [groaning] >> You weren't supposed to continue following me. >> We can pursue. FYI. >> No, you can't. >> Yes, we can. >> No, you can't. >> A Friday night. >> Law changed in June. >> While it may seem like the frustrating cat and mouse chase has finally come to an end, it has come at a heavy price as responding deputies watch the horror unfold before them. Before coming to a halt, Nicole had struck a carrying three people. 70-year-old Gina Ma, her sister Barbara, and Barbara's husband Bruce Clark, who had arrived in town to celebrate Barbara's birthday with the family. But now, as [music] deputies begin assessing the scene, they are about to realize that Nicole has left behind far more [music] damage than they ever anticipated. >> You guys check the car? >> No, we did not check the car. >> Check on that guy. >> Go open the back door. Clear. It's clear. Radio one out of 89. Truck is clear. FYI is clear. >> I scratched my hand on the ground. I tackled. >> Stand up. How are you injured? >> Yes, I am very injured. >> You okay? >> I think the from the seat belt just got >> Okay. Hey, we got EMS here. >> Okay. >> All right. >> All right. Let's walk you over to the medic. Can you walk over to the medic unit to get checked out? >> No. No, >> it's going to be okay, guys. >> She's going to be okay. You okay? Nice big breath. Okay, nice shallow breath. >> She wants to be checked out and says she can't walk. >> She's probably going to be like third in line from these people. When you got when somebody can get to it, she does want to be checked out, but this is going to be priority. >> Good deep breaths. Okay, >> we're here for your birthday, huh? >> Pat, are they okay? >> No. >> Suspect vehicle. This car. >> No, this this is who they head on. So, they're going to be the main priority for fire. >> She's bleeding there on them. Uh she was in the car, both uh the male and the female on the ground. She's having a hard time breathing. >> The the suspect, she's over there in front of the business. She says she can't walk, but she's >> way in better shape than these people. >> He came and I cut into the gas station. I just jumped the curb, did what I had to do. I'm in the blue truck right there. While Barbara and Bruce are conscious and responding to the deputy's [music] questions, the same cannot be said for Gina, who has passed out from the crash and requires immediate medical attention. But to Nicole, none of this seems to matter as she blames the deputies for choosing to pursue her. >> You guys You guys shouldn't have pursued me. You guys weren't even supposed to turn on your lights. >> You're a lawyer. You know the law. >> No, I I'm Yeah, I'm in charge. You guys are supposed to turn on my off your lights and stop following me, and that wouldn't have happened. >> Can you walk for me? I can't. >> What hurts? >> Everything. I need my wallets, too. My wallet is right there. >> Not worried about that right now. >> Okay. But I am. >> Why are you opening it? >> To see who you are. >> I didn't give you permission to open it. >> There's a wallet, too. A male. >> That's mine. That is >> It's going to have Is it going to have your stuff in it? >> Yeah. The brown one. >> No, there's a black one right here. >> I'm talking about the brown one. Yes. >> I know which one you're talking about. >> So, it's whatever's comfortable for you. Okay. >> Keep talking to me. Yep. Keep talking to me. >> He shouldn't have pursued me. >> Stay talking. Nice. Take good nice deep breaths. Okay. >> Stand with her. >> Yeah. >> She doesn't want to walk. She says she can't walk. We'll get fire over to her when we can. >> Did you pat her down and stuff? Search her. You got anything on you in your pockets or anything like that? Obviously, you're not wearing a whole lot. Can we check that? We're going to check that pocket real quick. >> No pockets. Okay. >> How are you? >> Oh, my back hurts. >> Your back hurts? Okay. Can we chat with you for a minute? >> Sure. >> So, the three of you were in this car, it sounds like. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Where were you sitting in the car? >> Driving. >> You were driving. Who's that to you? >> That's my wife. >> Is that your wife? Same last name? >> Yes. >> And the other lady in the car, what's her last name? Is she a friend? >> It's her sister. >> Her sister. Okay. And where was she sitting? >> In the back seat. >> Behind you or behind Barbara? >> Behind. >> Okay. >> I don't know. She's in her right leg like it was all back and forth. She's bleeding out the mouth. So, she's got some sort. >> I don't know. They >> uh pretty sure they have her in there. They're all working on her right now. >> One loaded up and went down. >> They're still working. >> Whoever's in there, they they we went up to give them her name and they said >> already. >> Deputies would later discover that Nicole already had a thirdderee escape warrant out of Isa, Washington, along with a record heavily involving repeated property and related crimes, including identity theft, motor vehicle theft, and petty theft. In [music] fact, she had at least three prior charges for driving with a suspended license before this crash. But to Nicole, none of that seemed to matter. In her mind, she should be let out because the deputies were never supposed to pursue her. >> I'll sit with her. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Nice work, lady. Congratulations. >> It wasn't my fault. They shouldn't have pursued me. >> Maybe you shouldn't have Hey, >> THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THEIR LIFE. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE >> YOU WANT TO JUST GO INSIDE AND FALL? >> YOU WANT TO just go inside other people? No, I didn't. >> Oh, that's right. You're the victim, right? You're the victim. >> They should go inside. Have turned on their lights and follow. You shouldn't have had a stolen car. HOW ABOUT THAT? >> I DIDN'T HAVE A STOLEN CAR. >> REALLY? >> YEAH. >> SO, that that's your car. That's your truck. That's your truck. Answer. Is that your truck? >> That's what I thought. So, how about you just be quiet before you get yourself more charges? >> I'm not going to get any charges. >> Ah, okay. That's why you're in cuffs. I hope you get >> I'm in cuffs because um No, I'm not a piece of I am not saying I want to go home. I'm saying I shouldn't have been arrested. I You guys shouldn't have followed me. This should have never happened is what I'm saying. So, the handcuffs should come off and I should walk away. >> Yep. Well, that's your dream world. That's not real. >> That's not a dream world. >> Well, it's not what's going to happen. So, >> yes, that is what's going to happen. >> Doesn't look like it. >> Yeah. >> Guess she's the one that got ripped out of the shoes. Uh she kind of ripped herself out of them apparently. We have the suspect over here and we have >> the driver of this black truck. >> Yes. >> Is the suspect. >> Yes. >> She's over there with that officer. Uh female in the back seat of the car that this hit head on. Uh she's bad. Bleeding out the mouth, leg, arm all damaged. Uh her leg kind of looks like a slinky. The driver had a little bruise on his hand. The passenger that was sitting in the passenger seat seat belt made a nice bruise across her front. >> He wasn't wearing a seat belt. >> That's what I was thinking. So, document the seat belt. >> Neither was he. That one's still loose. This backside isn't locked open. >> She was She was here. >> She was there. Is it locked? The front one is. >> Oh, yeah. They're locked slack. So, they were wearing theirs. >> His isn't. His is up. He was riding. >> Is it locked? >> His locked out. She wasn't wearing hers. >> Am I going to ride with them? No. I'm gonna probably either one of me or one of my partner. That's what I'm trying to figure out with what my partners are doing. Somebody's going to >> arrested. >> You are not definitely not free to go. So, I don't know what dream world you're living in, but it's not mine. >> Car is not stolen. And you guys shouldn't be seen. >> Yeah. Really? Well, you're in a stolen vehicle. You fled and you just caused a whole bunch of damage and injuries to somebody else >> by following I forgot we were the ones driving, weren't we? >> Holy. >> Just continue this. I'm surprised how well the car was actually that shredded like that. She was still driving almost perfectly. >> It looks like it when it hit that car. Jesus. >> I'm surprised it didn't do more damage to the white car. >> I'm surprised it didn't go up over the top. >> Was she walking? >> Who? >> The suspect. >> She raned out of the car. >> Said she couldn't walk. >> Oh, yeah. She ran out of her shoes. This isn't her car. If the owner gave us permission to search, we would still do that. >> Doesn't do doesn't do it. I found that wallet. That wallet was sitting right here. >> Barbara suffered three broken ribs and broken vertebrae, while her husband Bruce also suffered a broken vertebrae. Despite these severe injuries, both survived the crash. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Gina, who succumbed to her injuries following the head-on collision. But despite the life lost and the serious injury she caused, Nicole continues to stand by her statement, [music] even when she is given a chance to change her attitude. >> Nicole, how you doing? My name is Detective Pratt. I'm with the Washington State Patrol. How you feeling? >> I don't understand. >> Just to let you know, you're being a video recorded right now. Okay. You understand that you're in custody right now? >> No. >> The trooper already advised you you're under arrest. >> No, I was to not be arrested. >> Who told you that? >> Um, that's what you told them. And then they keep trying to start it over. >> What do you mean? That's what I told them. So just just to be clear, Nicole, right now, you are under arrest. >> No, that's what you guys are not to do that. >> I'm being clear with you right now. Right now, you're in custody. >> No. >> You're under arrest for vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, felony hit and run, possession of a stolen vehicle, and a looting. >> Do you understand those charges? >> No. >> Do you want [clears throat] to talk to me about what happened tonight? >> No. Nicole, this is your chance. I'm going to talk to everybody else. The deputies are going to write reports. Everyone's going to tell me a version of of from their perspective of what happened tonight. This is your chance to tell me your perspective. Do you want to talk to me about what happened tonight? >> No. It is Saturday, September 7th at 8:27 p.m. We're in the emergency room at St. Pete's Hospital. Nicole is currently in custody and declining to provide a statement as to what happened tonight. Is that correct? >> I'm not in custody. >> Okay. So, we'll Without an interview, we will stop the recording. >> A toxicology report would later show that Nicole had f and in her system at the time of the crash. Ultimately, Nicole Romangh was charged with felony secondderee murder, vehicular assault while under the influence of eventually she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 23 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised probation upon release. But even with justice [music] served, nothing can undo the loss Gina's family suffered as a result of the crash.