Posted on 03/29/2025 1:43:44 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
With protests erupting across the country and reports of vandals damaging cars, the Tesla brand is taking a beating.
But one North Texas Tesla owner is fighting back. He has filed a civil lawsuit against the man accused of keying his Model X earlier this month while it was parked at DFW Airport.
Citing damage to the car, lost wages, and emotional duress, he is seeking $1 million in damages.
The accused, Rafael Hernandez, was arrested by DFW Airport Police over the weekend. Hernandez has been charged with criminal mischief and is expected to make his first court appearance on April 8.
It’s a fine line between civility and anarchy,” said Majed Nachawati, managing partner with the Nachawati Legal Group in Dallas. “This matter has nothing to do with his political persuasions or affiliations. He happens to believe that Tesla, his Model X, is one of the best cars he’s ever owned. And he enjoys driving it, plain and simple.”
In the lawsuit, the Tesla owner is identified by his initials only due to fear of threats. The car’s onboard camera captured images of a man with a key fob in hand, appearing to vandalize the vehicle. The owner shared the video on social media, hoping to identify the man. It has since gone viral, leading to Hernandez’s arrest.
He spoke with CBS News Texas’ Erin Jones in the days that followed, saying, “It’s just kind of mind-boggling to me that there are people who are so triggered and so disturbed by anything these days that they can go so far as to just cause harm to somebody.”
The Tesla pushback began when CEO Elon Musk became the face of federal workers losing their jobs.
“I didn’t buy the car because of Elon Musk. And so I’m not going to get rid of it because of Elon Musk,” said Chanel Mergerson.
She said she rented a Tesla in the fall to drive her son to college, loved it, and bought one in October. She admits that what she has since learned about Musk is troubling, but she’s not concerned about the controversy. Her son, however...
“He called me from college and said, ‘Mom, you’ve got to get rid of this car.’ He was afraid that I was going to get keyed or somebody was going to hurt the car while I’m in it, or whether I’m driving it.”
Or perhaps while it is parked. Attorneys for the Tesla owner whose car was keyed say attacks on private individuals due to political disagreements cannot be tolerated. Attorneys acknowledge that the vehicle itself is not worth $1 million, but admit their client also wants to send a message with the lawsuit. He’s hoping to discourage other acts of violence.
“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?” said Nachawati. “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.”
“I think it makes perfect sense for someone to get compensated for someone damaging their property,” said Tesla owner Mitch Mitchell. “That’s just completely wrong. I don’t see why someone would do something like that.”
The legal system has become a weapon. All the Democrats in this country should be driven into bankruptcy. Doesn’t really matter How or Why. Just find some kind of reason to destroy each individual.
class action against the pols encouraging vandalism maybe? Trump was accused of inciting J6 so how about a dose of their same medicine?
“The accused, Rafael Hernandez...”
Deporting him back home would also be an option, at least in my book.
These vandals don’t stop to think of just who they are really hurting with this kind of behavior.
I suspect that more often than not, it’s other liberals, since they’re the ones most likely to buy into the save the planet/climate scam.
Democrats seem to have no ability to think beyond their immediate feelings and engage in any coherent thought.
Excellent. Make it hurt and send a message. Catch the others and do the same.
ALL these Tesla terrorists should be brought up on RICO charges. They are part of an enormous leftist organized crime ring instigated by various Democrats in Congress It wouldn’t surprise me to find there’s money flow from Soros, NGOs or radical foundations.
I just saw where the woman that put chewing gum on the handle was arrested. It did over $2000 worth of damage. Not sure how.
Pajama bottom boy vandal as been caught. Mug shot doest even look like him. I wonder if he shaved his head trying not to get caught.
Trump should set up a fund to reimburse all Tesla terrorism victims in a huge way. Car gets keys, you get a new car.
This should quickly end the terrorism because it would backfire, causing the victims to get rewarded.
About 20 years ago, I volunteered at one of our kid’s Prom Nights. I parked in the high school parking lot and rode the bus with the kids. Some kids “having fun” poured bags of flour on the cars in the parking lot. The repair bill was about $3,000 as I recall. The front of the car had to be disassembled and all the air ductwork replaced. And that was TWENTY years ago. The repair today would be twice that if not more.
Ten years after that, my Ford Expedition sunroof track failed. That was a $3,000 repair to remove the seats, disassemble the roof, and replace the track.
It’s astonishing how fast auto repairs add up. That Tesla lock repair cost doesn’t surprise me.
That’s a great idea but it won’t be long until Tesla owners start doing it to themselves to get the money.
EVERYONE arrested for vandalizing a Tesla should ALSO face a multi-million dollar civil lawsuit!
This should quickly end the terrorism because it would backfire, causing the victims to get rewarded.
And Tesla would be enriched. Good idea, as long as the government gets the money back from the perps.
Seeing the left’s deranged group think and violence towards Tesla, I wonder if they aren’t victims of a DNC/CIA MKULTRA brainwashing operation.
Then I think, nah, no brains to wash.
Deport it to El Salvador.
The new left is far more deranged and unhappy than average 60s lefty
From hippies and Kesey to SNVCC and SDS and others
Outliers like the weather underground and SLA were tiny compared to the well funded antifa and occupy and anti WTO and BLM. and pussy hat street theatre and actors
Those militants are only 60s equivalent imho
That’s why they’re really called leftists, because they are on the LEFT side of the Bell Curve.
Go after Soros. That is where the deep pocket is. The payoff for shark lawyers would be yuge. Billions upon billions. Given the damage to the Tesla brand his entire fortune should be at stake.
I was not born yet but I assume that you can talk to an average 60s lefty and agree to disagree.
You can't do that with the new left today.
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