Frustrated Man Who Rammed His Newly Purchased Subaru Into Dealer Showroom Faces Felony Charges

      Diario AS via YouTube

      Do you recall the disgruntled former Subaru Outback buyer who drove through a Mazda dealership in Sandy City, near Salt Lake City, late last year? We certainly remember, and so do the local authorities, who have issued a warrant for the driver. He now faces additional charges related to the incident, including felony property damage, misdemeanor reckless endangerment, and economic disruption.

      In early December, a 35-year-old man bought the Outback from the Tim Dahle Mazda dealership. Later that same day, after claiming he experienced undisclosed mechanical issues, he returned to demand a refund. When the dealership explained that the sale was final, he became upset and left, but not before threatening to drive the car through the showroom entrance.

      As expected, that’s exactly what he did. Although a dealer representative later stated that the driver was ultimately offered the refund he sought, he was either too furious to hear it or too enraged to comprehend it. Regardless, the enraged customer got back in the Subaru and crashed it into the showroom. Fortunately, no one was injured, and, true to 2024, the event was captured on video (warning: NSFW language). That same day, he was charged with felony criminal mischief and reckless endangerment in the dealer's parking lot. Now that the repair costs have been calculated (exceeding $85,000 for the dealership alone), authorities moved forward with a formal indictment.

      Due to the substantial repair costs, the property damage charge was upgraded to a class 2 felony, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine reaching $10,000—likely more than what it would have cost to repair nearly anything on that Outback. And let’s be honest, it functioned well enough to drive through the doors, so it couldn't have been that damaged.

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