This gang member tried to steal a car. The woman sleeping in the backseat was a surprise

A Kennewick man got more than he planned when tried to steal a running car.

The car’s owner, a 36-year-old man, had stopped at the Pik-a-Pop convenience store at the intersection of Court Street and Fourth Avenue at 10 p.m. Thursday, Pasco police said.

He left the keys in the ignition and his 31-year-old girlfriend in the car.

The girlfriend wasn’t feeling good, so she crawled into the backseat to take a nap while she waited, Sgt. Scott Warren said.

Javier Calderon Jr., 25, armed with a handgun, then hopped behind the wheel and started to drive away.

The woman snoozing in the back seat woke up to find the car speeding along Fourth Avenue.

Police say she raged from the backseat and fought Calderon for control of the car.

The struggle sent Calderon running into the night with his gun, but without his hat. The woman called 911.

However, the facial tattoos and black leather Raiders jacket are hard to disguise.

Pasco police Officer Travis Park saw a man walking near 10th Avenue and A Street with the same description at 11:40 p.m. Saturday.

He initially tried to pass off a veteran’s stolen ID, but officers soon learned who he was.

He was arrested at first for outstanding warrants, hindering police and possessing stolen property.

By Tuesday, detectives linked him to the attempted theft and added investigative holds for kidnapping and robbery.

Detectives plan to test the hat left behind in the car for DNA evidence.

Pasco police are asking anyone with information about the crime to call 509-545-3421 or email abastillasj@pasco-wa.gov.

This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 4:09 PM with the headline "This gang member tried to steal a car. The woman sleeping in the backseat was a surprise."