Mechanic Totals Woman’s Audi On ‘Unauthorized’ Test Drive. Is It Her Fault For Giving Him The Keys?

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Alicia Good says an employee at AE German Car Service crashed her 2013 Audi Q5 after taking it from the Hollywood garage, where she had left it for a fluids check. The shop told Fox 11 Los Angeles that its insurance company was handling the matter; the reason for the crash and whether the employee was authorized to use the SUV remain unclear.

Alicia Good says an employee at AE German Car Service crashed her 2013 Audi Q5 after she left it at the Hollywood shop for a fluids check, with the SUV later towed back in heavily damaged. The garage told Fox 11 Los Angeles that its insurance company was handling the matter; the circumstances of the crash and whether the employee had permission to take the vehicle home have not been established in the available reporting.

According to Fox 11 Los Angeles, Good said the crash happened on the night of September 4. The shop contacted her about 18 hours later and said the SUV had struck a Jersey barrier about nine miles from the garage. The account reported that the employee had supposedly taken the Q5 home. The report does not establish why the vehicle was there or what the employee was doing when it crashed.

Images and video described in The Drive’s report show extensive damage, including a missing front bumper, a crushed front end, a raised hood and a broken windshield. Good said the vehicle was towed back to the shop. AE German Car Service declined to discuss the incident with Fox 11 beyond saying its insurer was handling it.

Good also said the Los Angeles Police Department told her the matter might not qualify as grand theft auto because she had entrusted the shop with the keys. That is her account of what police told her, not a formal determination included in the reporting. No police finding, insurance decision or court ruling about Good’s case is reported.

Responsibility for a Shop’s Test Drive

The case highlights the difference between a vehicle being used for work the customer authorized and an employee using it for another purpose. Repair shops may need to drive a vehicle to diagnose or verify a repair, but the available report does not establish that this crash occurred during a service-related test drive. Permission to leave a car at a shop does not, by itself, settle what use was authorized or determine who bears financial or legal responsibility.

For vehicle owners, the immediate questions are practical: what the shop’s insurer will cover, whether the car can be repaired or is a total loss, and what records could clarify how it was being used. For the shop and employee, those facts may affect insurance and any potential legal proceedings. The public record described so far does not answer those questions.

The Reported Timeline and Prior Case

Good reportedly brought her 2013 Audi Q5 to AE German Car Service for a basic fluids check. The Drive, citing Fox 11 Los Angeles, reported that the SUV was damaged on September 4, that the shop contacted Good about 18 hours later, and that the vehicle was returned to the garage after being towed. The report does not give a precise date for publication or say whether the SUV was being driven for a repair-related reason.

The Drive also cited a separate Tennessee case from earlier in the year. In that case, a judge ruled for a woman whose Mercedes-Benz C300 had been taken by a mechanic on what the defense called an “extended test drive.” The owner had tracked the car to a bar parking lot, and the judge awarded her $20,270; the mechanic was also tried for criminal theft, according to The Drive. That case is a separate matter and does not establish the outcome or legal status of Good’s claim.

““It’s debatable whether or not it’s actually grand theft (auto) because I had entrusted them with my car.””

— Alicia Good, as quoted by Fox 11 Los Angeles

Key Facts Still Unconfirmed

The available reporting does not establish why the Audi was being driven, whether Good had authorized the employee to take it home, who was driving at the time of the collision, or what caused the vehicle to hit the barrier. It also does not report whether police opened an investigation, whether any traffic violations were alleged, or whether the employee faced charges.

The shop’s insurer had not publicly described its position in the account, and the report does not say whether Good has received payment, filed a lawsuit or obtained a final assessment of the vehicle’s damage. The circumstances remain allegations and reported accounts; no independent finding about fault is included.

Insurance Review and Possible Claims

The next reported step is the insurance process, which AE German Car Service said was handling the matter. The outcome may depend on the shop’s policy, the vehicle’s condition and evidence about how and why it was being used. No settlement, repair decision or court date has been announced in the supplied reporting.

Good may pursue further information or legal remedies, but the report does not confirm that she has filed a claim or lawsuit. Any assessment of criminal responsibility would depend on facts not yet established publicly. Until the insurer or authorities provide more information, the central questions—authorization, cause and responsibility—remain open.

Key Questions

What happened to Alicia Good’s Audi?

Good says an employee at AE German Car Service crashed her 2013 Audi Q5 after she left it at the Hollywood shop for a fluids check. The SUV was reportedly towed back with severe front-end and windshield damage.

Did Good authorize the mechanic to take the car home?

The available report does not establish that. It says the shop told Good the SUV had struck a barrier about nine miles away and that the employee had supposedly taken it home, but does not clarify what use she had authorized.

Has the shop accepted responsibility?

The shop told Fox 11 Los Angeles only that its insurance company was handling the matter. The report does not include an admission of fault or a final insurance decision.

Is the crash being treated as a crime?

Good said the LAPD told her the situation might not qualify as grand theft auto because she had entrusted the shop with the keys. The report does not include a formal police finding, charges or a confirmed investigation outcome.

Source: rss