Family members say 28-year old Leann Margarita Najera died Saturday morning while trying to stop several thieves who stole several electronic items from her home.
Najera's husband, Alucio, told RTV6 sister station 7NEWS that Leann and two other women had gone out to a club Friday night.
He said the other women met some men and that they followed his wife home.
"The guys started stealing our TV and my kid's game system," he said. "The two women had my wife distracted in the kitchen. One guy was standing here by the doorway... and the others were unloading everything."
Alucio Najera said that when Leann realized what happened, she confronted the men.
"They jumped in their cars and took off," he said. "She went after them and was dialing 911 when she lost control."
Leann Najera died in the crash.
Initially, police thought the crash was the result of a street race, now they're trying to locate the suspected thieves.
Alucio says the two women - one his sister and the other his sister-in-law - are trying to help police.
"It's sad," Alucio said. "They didn't just steal my kid's toys and TV, they stole my kid's mom."
"Leann was a great person," said her brother, Amos Baca. "She would bring joy to every family event we had."
Leann Najera is survived by her husband and by four children, ages 6, 9, 11 and 12.
