A Hollywood woman's 2013 Audi Q5 crash allegedly occurred after an auto shop employee took the SUV home following a routine appointment, according to a report by The Drive citing Fox 11 Los Angeles. Owner Alicia Good left her vehicle at AE German Car Service for a basic fluids check, only to find it destroyed in the shop's lot two days later. When Good explored her legal options, police apparently told her the incident probably was not a criminal matter because she voluntarily handed over the keys.
Details of the Sept. 4 Collision
According to Fox 11 Los Angeles, an employee at AE German Car Service allegedly wrecked Good's 2013 Q5 on the night of Sept. 4. Roughly 18 hours after the collision, the garage phoned Good to inform her that her SUV had hit a Jersey barrier by itself nine miles away from the shop, because the mechanic had supposedly “taken it home.”
The wrecked SUV was towed back to AE German Car Service, where Good inspected the destruction. Video footage referenced by The Drive shows the front bumper completely missing, leaving an open gap all the way to the firewall, alongside a smashed windshield and a hood bent upward from the impact.
Police Response and Shop Statement
Neither Good nor AE German Car Service has been able to explain why the collision took place. The repair shop declined to comment to Fox 11 Los Angeles beyond stating that its insurance provider was handling the situation.
Good recounted the response she received from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) regarding potential criminal charges.
“It’s debatable whether or not it’s actually grand theft (auto) because I had entrusted them with my car.”
Alicia Good, Audi Q5 Owner
Legal Precedent in Tennessee
As The Drive notes, mechanics frequently need to conduct test drives during service, and accidents during legitimate test drives probably would not be treated as criminal offenses. However, The Drive points out that the situation changes if an employee uses a customer's car for personal reasons rather than service, particularly if traffic laws are broken.
The Drive highlights a legal precedent from earlier in 2026 involving a Tennessee judge who ruled in favor of a Mercedes-Benz C300 owner. In that case, a mechanic took the customer's car on a joyride, seemingly while intoxicated, and the owner proved it by tracking the vehicle to a bar's parking lot and verifying its location in person.
When the lawyer representing the dealership and mechanic tried to argue the trip was an “extended test drive,” the Tennessee judge rejected the defense and awarded the owner $20,270. Meanwhile, the mechanic still faced a criminal theft trial.
What Vehicle Owners Can Do After Shop Damage
While The Drive notes it is not yet known if the Hollywood incident matches the circumstances of the Tennessee case, Good could potentially raise similar legal arguments. The outlet reminds car owners that if a repair shop returns a vehicle as scrap metal, they have every justification to pursue the truth and seek whatever compensation they are owed, regardless of how the keys were handed over.
This article was written by AI from reporting by thedrive.com.
