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Alicia Good’s 2013 Audi Q5 was badly damaged in a crash after she left it at a Hollywood repair shop for a fluids check, according to reporting by Fox 11 Los Angeles and The Drive. The shop said the matter was being handled by its insurer; the circumstances of the drive, the crash and any legal responsibility have not been established publicly.
Good told Fox 11 that the shop contacted her about 18 hours after the reported crash. She said she was told the Q5 had struck a Jersey barrier about nine miles from the garage after the mechanic had “taken it home.” The account of how the vehicle was being used comes from the owner’s description of what the shop told her; no independent account of the drive is included in the reporting.
The SUV was towed back to AE German Car Service. The Drive described extensive damage visible in footage: the front bumper was missing, the hood was bent upward, and the windshield was smashed. The damage appeared severe, but the source material does not establish an insurance determination or a formal finding that the vehicle was a total loss.
The garage declined to discuss the incident with Fox 11, saying only that its insurance company was handling the matter. Good said the Los Angeles Police Department told her the incident might not qualify as auto theft because she had entrusted the shop with the keys. That is her account of what police said, not a published police statement or a final legal ruling. The source material does not report any charges or court action involving this incident.
Who Bears Responsibility for the Audi
The case raises a practical question for vehicle owners: what happens when a shop employee crashes a customer’s car while it is in the shop’s custody? The answer may depend on the purpose and circumstances of the drive, insurance coverage and the evidence available. The fact that an owner handed over the keys does not, by itself, establish that every later use was authorized.
For Good, the immediate issues include how the shop’s insurer will handle the damage and whether the account of the drive can be verified. For other customers, the incident is a reminder to document a vehicle’s condition and the agreed work when leaving it for service. Those steps do not determine liability, but they can help establish what was entrusted to a business and what happened afterward.
It would be premature to conclude that Good is at fault or that the employee committed a crime. Responsibility has not been determined, and the reported police comment does not settle any civil insurance dispute or possible criminal investigation.
2013 Audi Q5 front bumper replacement
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What the Report Says Happened
Good brought the Audi to AE German Car Service in Hollywood for what The Drive described as a basic fluids check. The crash reportedly occurred on the night of Sept. 4. The source does not specify the year, the exact time the SUV left the shop, or whether a road test was part of the agreed service.
The Drive noted that test drives can be part of vehicle service and that crashes may occur during them. It also distinguished a service-related drive from a vehicle being used for a different purpose. In this case, the shop’s reported statement that the mechanic had taken the SUV home leaves the purpose and authorization unresolved.
The article also cited a separate Tennessee case from earlier in the year. According to The Drive, 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, and the court awarded her $20,270. The mechanic was still tried for criminal theft, the report said. That separate dispute does not establish what happened in Good’s case or determine its outcome.
““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
2013 Audi Q5 windshield replacement
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Key Facts Still Unverified
The publicly described account does not explain why the Audi was being driven away from the garage, whether Good or the shop authorized that trip, or precisely how the crash happened. The source material does not include a police report, a statement from the employee, the shop’s full account, or findings from an insurer.
It is also unclear whether authorities opened an investigation, whether any traffic violations were alleged, or whether Good has filed a claim or lawsuit. The extent of the damage is visible in the reported footage, but no official declaration that the Q5 is a total loss or estimate of repair costs is provided. The available information is not enough to determine criminal liability, civil fault or insurance coverage.
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Insurance Review and Possible Claims
The next reported step is the shop’s insurance review. The source does not give a timetable, say whether the insurer has accepted responsibility, or report a settlement offer. Good may pursue legal advice or other claims, but no filing or decision is identified in the available material.
Any clearer account will depend on evidence about the vehicle’s use and the collision, including records from the shop, insurance investigation and any police documentation. Until those details are available, the central questions—whether the drive was authorized and who is responsible for the damage—remain open.
car dash camera front and rear with parking mode
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Key Questions
Was the Audi officially declared a total loss?
The reporting describes extensive damage, but it does not say an insurer or authorities formally declared the Q5 a total loss.
Did the mechanic have permission to take the Audi home?
That has not been established in the source material. Good said she was told the mechanic had taken it home, but the shop has not publicly explained the purpose or authorization for the drive.
Did police decide that no crime occurred?
No final police decision is reported. Good said police told her the theft question was debatable because she had entrusted the shop with the keys. The source includes no direct police statement or report of charges.
Who will pay for the damage?
The shop told Fox 11 that its insurance company was handling the matter. The insurer’s decision, coverage and any payment have not been reported.
Does the Tennessee case determine Good’s claim?
No. The Tennessee ruling involved a separate vehicle and different evidence. It offers context, but it does not decide the facts or legal outcome of Good’s case in Los Angeles.
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