The moment the police lights flared behind them, Sheena and Cole Burie thought it was just a traffic stop. They were on vacation in San Diego, driving a rented minivan through Oceanside. They’d just dropped their daughter off at a mall. But within seconds, the scene shifted into something surreal.

Officers shouted commands, guns were drawn, and the couple found themselves face down on the pavement, handcuffed and scared for their lives.

It turned out the minivan they’d rented had been mistakenly reported as stolen

The Buries, visiting from Wisconsin in January 2023, had no idea their family trip would unravel into mortifying chaos.

Sheena later explained that she couldn’t move or even look at her husband, only managing to whisper “I love you” before thinking they might never see their daughter again.

Police swept through the minivan looking for the rental car contract. They couldn’t find it.

The confusion lasted nearly half an hour before dispatchers reached Payless Car Rental and learned the truth: the van was not stolen

According to the police report, the minivan was previously flagged missing. The rental company had failed to update the law enforcement database after recovering the car.

What began as a clerical oversight spiraled into a traumatic ordeal that would follow the Buries long after they returned home.

Payless Car Rental later admitted that its “safeguards failed” in what it called an isolated incident.

The company apologized, refunded the rental, and noted that if the couple had their rental contract in the car, the misunderstanding might have ended sooner

Oceanside Police, meanwhile, said their officers acted professionally and met department standards during the stop.

The Buries filed a civil lawsuit against Payless for negligence and emotional distress

The trial began October 7, 2025, but barely got underway before both sides agreed to a $350,000 settlement.

Sheena said the money doesn’t erase the damage. The shock and fear from that day lingered, straining her marriage and mental health. “My emotional state, it was just unhinged,” she explained, standing beside Cole. She said that her husband “shut down” from the event.

Sheena also revealed that the rental car incident ultimately led to the couple’s divorce, citing the inability to handle the trauma as a united front.