PALMDALE, Calif. (KAKE) -- A man who was trying to steal a catalytic converter from a truck in California is dead after being run over by the driver.

The incident occurred around 6 p.m. Tuesday at a shopping center parking lot in Palmdale. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said a car with four suspects inside pulled up to the lifted 4x4 Ford Excursion, and one of them got out to saw off the vehicle's catalytic converter.

KABC reports a woman was sleeping inside the truck and heard the noises and thought someone was breaking in. She started the engine and put the car in reverse. When she felt a bump as she backed up, she got out and saw a man on the ground.

Deputies detained the three other suspects. The suspect who was run over died at a local hospital.

No names have been released.