A California man is taking legal action against a luxury car dealership after a routine service visit turned into a terrifying ordeal — when police surrounded him at gunpoint for allegedly driving a “stolen” vehicle that was, in fact, a loaner provided by the dealership itself.
According to reports, the man had brought his vehicle in for maintenance and was given a temporary loaner car to use while repairs were completed. Days later, while driving on a Southern California freeway, he suddenly found himself pulled over by multiple police officers responding to a report of a stolen car.
Dashcam footage shows the man exiting the vehicle with his hands raised in confusion as officers shouted commands and aimed their weapons. “I thought I was going to die,” he recalled in a later interview. “I did everything right — I leased the car, had the paperwork, and still ended up with guns pointed at me.”
The shocking mix-up reportedly began when the dealership mistakenly flagged the loaner as stolen in its internal system after a clerical error. Instead of verifying the information, staff allegedly contacted authorities, prompting the police to issue a stolen vehicle alert.
By the time officers located the vehicle, the man had no idea he was being targeted. “I was terrified,” he said. “All I could think about was surviving that moment.”
Once the misunderstanding was cleared, police released him without charges. However, the damage was done — emotionally, financially, and reputationally. The man’s attorney said his client “was humiliated, traumatized, and publicly treated like a criminal because of someone else’s mistake.”
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County, accuses the dealership of gross negligence, emotional distress, and defamation, arguing that the company’s lack of proper communication with law enforcement directly endangered his life.
“This could have easily turned fatal,” the attorney stated. “All it would’ve taken was one nervous officer misreading the situation.”
The dealership has yet to issue a public statement but has reportedly offered to settle privately — an offer the man rejected. “This isn’t about money,” he said. “It’s about accountability. No one should ever go through what I did for trusting a business.”
The incident has reignited national discussions about racial profiling, police escalation, and corporate responsibility. Civil rights advocates argue that dealerships and police departments must verify information before taking drastic actions that can endanger innocent people.
As the lawsuit proceeds, the man says he’s still shaken every time he sees police lights behind him. “That one mistake changed the way I feel on the road forever,” he said quietly.
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