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Woman with cancer needs new car after burglary

AUBURN, Wash. — A Washington woman who is living with stage 4 breast cancer had another lifeline taken away this week.

The car she used to get to her treatments was stolen from her driveway.

Julie Deutsch has been living with breast cancer for more than a dozen years.

"For me, it was originally breast cancer," said Deutsch. "And it spread to my lungs, bones and brain."

Deutsch's voice has also been affected due to a lymph node pressing on a nerve.

Still, she was able to drive to her many medical appointments until she returned home last month to find her house had been burglarized.

"Walked in to see the house ransacked," she said.

Her much-needed car was gone, too.

"It's, like, been kind of my lifeline," she said.

The burglary angered her friend, who is also living with metastatic breast cancer, because with all Deutsch is paying for her treatments, she can't afford a new car.

"These thieves have picked on someone who is fighting for her life," said Terri Dilts. "And you take away a lifeline, her car, not to mention her sense of security.
I was aghast."

The man Auburn police believe stole Deutsch's car is 38-year-old Tyler Thomas Price.

They suspect Price because Deutsch and her husband said they actually spotted him driving her car eight days after it was stolen.

Police said Price totaled her car while fleeing from officers.

He is to be arraigned on a charge of car theft at the Maleng Regional Justice Center on Monday.

"It's not right to be stealing from others," said Deutsch.

Her friend has set up a GoFundMe account, hoping the kindness of strangers will help Deutsch find a silver lining.

"The silver lining hopefully would be finding a reliable vehicle to get myself able to drive," said Deutsch. "Because that's what I use to maintain my health right now."

Deutsch said she hopes the suspect is prosecuted "to the fullest extent of the law."