Taylor Smith Maxwell and Paige Rice Norton were on their way home from a mother-daughter day in Wyoming late Saturday when they decided to drive to a friend’s house and surprise her. But when they got to Boulder County at the intersection of Highway 287 and Yellowstone Road, there was a car coming towards them with sparks lighting up the dark.

“Taylor looked at her mom and suggested that they turn around. Her mom said, ‘Yeah that’s a good idea,’” said Maxwell’s best friend, Kailey Vukovinsky, late Monday in an interview with the Denver Gazette.

In the oncoming Ford Fusion were four suspects who were on the run after eluding Larimer County Sheriffs. One of their tires had blown out so they were driving on the rim of their wheel, and they were all doing drugs, according to the arrest affidavit obtained by The Denver Gazette. The two people in the front, 23-year-old Martin Cerde and Adriana Vargas, 24, had just made $30 from selling fentanyl, the affidavit said.

In the back were two other people – Marissa Ruiz, 24, and  Dustin Encineas. Cerde wanted to steal a car to replace the one with the bad tire, and the truck coming toward them was their target, the warrant revealed.

Rice Norton told law enforcement she saw the passenger and driver’s doors of the Ford sedan open and two people get out. As she leaned forward, a bullet whizzed by her head and hit her daughter in the abdomen. Their truck sped away, but Smith Maxwell died later at Longmont United Hospital.

According to the affidavit, the four were staying in a camper on a property at 10650 Yellowstone Road not far from where they fled the crime scene. Boulder Sheriffs deputies arrested Cerdes and Vargas on suspicion of second-degree murder, carjacking and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. They are in Boulder County Jail. There’s no word on their first court date.

Ruiz was taken in for investigation into previous offenses and outstanding warrants and is in the Weld County Jail. Her first hearing is Tuesday in Greeley.

Encineas is also in Weld County Jail as he awaits hearings on previous offenses.

Vukovinsky said she’s been crying for two days.

Just last year, Smith Maxwell was a bridesmaid at her wedding. The best friends met in middle school at the lunch table.

“This auto theft has got to stop,” Vukovinsky said. “I just want for people to remember Taylor’s name and not these evil people. Taylor was an amazing kind-hearted soul.”

A GoFundMe has been established for the 21 year old’s funeral and to help her mom, Rice Norton, buy a car. The only transportation they had has been seized as evidence in an ongoing investigation.