Woman who shot herself during police chase is identified

The woman who reportedly shot and killed herself during a police chase last week has been identified as 18-year-old Sally Ann Yamane, the Spokane Medical Examiner released Friday.

Court documents say Yamane was found with a gunshot wound to the head when police stopped a 2013 Dodge Dart full of teenagers following a pursuit over tools stolen from a man’s property. Her cause and manner of death are still pending, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner.

Christopher Gimmaka, Kayden Willoughby and Devin McEwen, all 18, were arrested on suspicion of first-degree attempted robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and three counts of first-degree assault in connection with the theft and resulting chase and gunfire. An unnamed 16-year-old also was arrested. Yamane was with the others inside the car, court documents said.

The pursuit began when a local man noticed his stolen tools were listed on Facebook Marketplace. He had arranged to meet up with the seller at a park. A car full of teenagers arrived a short time later and pulled on ski masks. The driver, McEwen, said he got uncomfortable and drove away. The man trying to recover his stolen tools followed the Dart and told police of their location.

Court documents said McEwen told police that Yamane started shooting at the car behind them with a handgun. When police arrived and attempted to stop their car, Yamane asked McEwen, “Are we good?” or, “Are we going to make it?”

McEwen told her that “they weren’t going to be good.” That’s when Yamane shot herself. She previously mentioned she “wouldn’t go back to jail” due to additional time she had avoided in an earlier case, documents said.