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Police looking for car and driver in Tacoma fatal road rage crash

TACOMA, Wash. — Detectives in Tacoma are looking for a man connected to a deadly collision that killed a woman on Valentines Day.

The victim, 34-year-old Jen Staley, is remembered by her family and friends as a helpful go-getter. She’s described as someone who was always busy, but always found time for the people she loved.

On the morning of Feb. 14, Staley’s car was chased by a Mercedes on South Orchard Street before she crashed, according to Tacoma police. The car was also seen fleeing the scene, according to detectives.

Melissa Mataya, Jen’s mother, said she heard from her daughter the same morning she died.

“She had just texted (me and Samantha, her sister) ‘Happy Valentines Day, ladies.’ And then, we didn’t hear anything,” Mataya said.

Samantha Staley, Jen’s younger sister, said she grew up looking up to Jen. She and her sister kept a close bond throughout their lives. They even have matching tattoos that read ‘Sorella,’ which means ‘sister’ in Italian.

Jen served in Afghanistan as part of the military police before coming back home. She was an E.R. technician at Good Samaritan Hospital, and previously volunteered as a firefighter.

Jen’s life took at turn after Samantha introduced her to Nick Stone, Samantha’s friend and a tattoo artist at Noble Studio in Tacoma.

Jen became Stone’s apprentice after he noticed her passion and dedication towards becoming a tattoo artist. Stone said he was amazed when Jen approached him with a book full of sketches and concepts, then asked him for his opinions.

“For me, art is completely subjective. But for her to ask me what I would’ve done differently to make it better? It just showed she had a passion to do more,” Stone said.

Jen worked her way up to become a tattoo artist at Noble Studio, which she described in her profile on Noble Studio’s website.

“I am truly blessed when someone places their trust and confidence in me to create a piece of art that will forever be a part of them,” Jen wrote.

Maggie Nuss, a fellow tattoo artist at Noble Studio, said Jen was “so versatile in so many things” when it came to tattooing. But above all, Nuss said Jen’s character was impossible not to love.

Nuss described a night where she was working alone at the tattoo shop, felt unsafe, and asked around to see if anyone could be with her.

“(Jen) was there within 10 minutes and she played bodyguard for me while I had a client for two hours. Just hanging out,” Nuss said.

Jen was also ready to turn another page in her life, according to her partner, Jessica Ledgerton.

“Instead of thinking about wedding plans, we’re thinking about this stuff,” Ledgerton said. “I was lucky to have known her and loved her.”

Ledgerton described Jen as the perfect partner, who treated her son like her own.

“I saw her interact with my son and it was pretty special,” Ledgerton said. “He asks pretty regularly, ‘Am I really not going to see Jen anymore?’”

Mataya and Staley both said it’s hard to mourn because they’re still concerned about finding the driver wanted by Tacoma police. They’ve been cleaning through the belongings Jen has left behind, while also making plans to keep her traditions alive.

That includes a yearly visit to an ongoing memorial in Orting, which is in remembrance of victims lost in a deadly emergency that Jen worked as a first responder.

“She takes flowers and stuffed animals out there every April. Sam and I are going to take that over. That was really important to her,” Mataya said.

Family and friends of Jen are dedicated to finding answers on her fatal crash, which they said starts with finding the other driver and/or the vehicle involved.

“I just hope there’s somebody out there or multiple people who know something about something. Just speak up and say something about it,” Samantha said. “Leaving everything like this so unanswered, it just kills us.”

If you have any information that could help lead to an arrest, you’re asked to anonymously call 1-800-222-TIPS.