Tesla Owner Sues For $1 Million After Catching Keying Suspect On Video
This Model X owner wants to make an example out of the person he claims keyed his car for no reason
https://www.carscoops.com/author/stephen-rivers/
by Stephen Rivers
Someone keyed a Tesla in Dallas, and the owner caught them on video.
The Model X’s sentry camera footage led to the arrest of the suspect.
Now, the owner is suing for $1 million as a lesson to other would-be vandals.
Violence and vandalism toward Tesla and Tesla owners are at an all-time high. While some criticism of Elon Musk may be just, Tesla owners are now being dragged into the storm created by Tesla CEO’s involvement in politics. That’s the case for Jeff Nguyen, a Model X owner who found his car keyed and used his Tesla’s built-in “Sentry Mode” security system to track down the culprit. Now, he’s taking the person to court for a hefty seven-figure lawsuit.
More: FBI Forms Tesla Task Force To Hunt Down Attackers
“I just bought it because it was an electric car,” Nguyen said. “This one is pretty fun to drive. It has really just nothing to do with politics or anything like that.” The car captured the person who left a mark on its bodywork. Nguyen posted that video online, leading police to arrest a suspect.
Sentry Mode Strikes Back
If you’re not already familiar with Tesla’s Sentry Mode, here’s the gist: it’s a built-in security feature that activates the car’s external cameras whenever it detects potential threats. Essentially, it transforms your Tesla into a 24/7 surveillance system, recording everything that happens around the car while it’s parked. In Nguyen’s case, the system captured the entire keying incident, providing solid evidence that helped police quickly identify and arrest the suspect.
As bizarre as it is, Nguyen’s case highlights a troubling trend—political animosity spilling over into personal property damage. In an interview with CBS, Nguyen was stunned to learn that his car’s vandalism had reached the higher echelons of politics.
More: Tesla Owners Are Selling Their Cars In Record Numbers Over Musk’s Politics
“It’s crazy,” Nguyen said. “Someone sent me a post that Donald Trump Jr. has retweeted it. It’s crazy that something like this has turned into a political thing.” Officers arrested Rafael Hernandez. Majed Nachawati, managing partner with the Nachawati Legal Group, Nguyen’s representation says his client has a good reason for requesting $1 million in damages.
“We don’t allow people to act out based on what they believe their political affiliations are and what upsets them and who they are upset with, and allow them to take things into their own hands and become essentially a vigilante… What does that say about our country?” Nachawati said. “Whether you’re a Republican, whether you’re a Democrat, I believe anyone who sees the video and who sees what happened would believe that deterrence would be the biggest part of this case.”
A Sign of the Times
All of this comes at a time when the US administration has classified violent attacks on Tesla dealerships, stations, and owner cars as domestic terrorism. The FBI has formed a special task force to investigate and prosecute these attacks, which are becoming more frequent and brazen.
If Nguyen is successful in securing a seven-figure settlement for a car keying, it could set an important precedent for future cases involving vandalism. Tesla owners, it seems, may find themselves with a little more protection—and a lot more legal ammunition—moving forward.
Credit: Jeff Nguyen
