Accused carjackers unable to drive stick-shift kidnap driver, California cops say

Two women accused of carjacking a couple ran into a slight problem when neither of them could drive the stolen vehicle, California police reported.

The vehicle had a manual transmission, police told SF Gate. Neither of the accused carjackers could operate the clutch, KPIX reported from police.

The women ended up kidnapping one of the vehicle owners to drive for them, Healdsburg police said in a Monday, Aug. 4, news release.

The incident unfolded at a park in Healdsburg just before 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3, when a couple returning from using the restroom found a woman seemingly in distress, police said.

When they approached her to offer help, the woman pulled out a handgun to demand their personal belongings and vehicle, police said.

She struck the wife of the couple in the head with the handgun, police said.

The armed woman, joined by another woman and a juvenile, tried to steal the couple’s vehicle but could not operate it, police said.

The accused carjackers forced the husband to drive them away in the vehicle, police said.

Officers responding to the park found the wife bleeding from a head injury and broadcast a description of the stolen vehicle, police said.

Officers from Petaluma found the vehicle on Highway 101 and began to chase it, police said.

The kidnapped driver pulled off the road and the two accused carjackers tried to run away but were captured, police said.

Davina Humphrey, 51, and Amina Vaden, 24, both of Oakland, face charges including carjacking, kidnapping, robbery, child abuse, elder abuse, assault with a firearm and conspiracy, police said.

The juvenile, whom police described as a victim, was not arrested, officers said.

Healdsburg is about a 70-mile drive northwest from San Francisco.

This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 10:30 AM with the headline "Accused carjackers unable to drive stick-shift kidnap driver, California cops say."