If you’ve ever dropped your car off for service and spent the day wondering exactly what’s happening to it back in the shop, this story is going to validate every bit of that low-grade anxiety. A judge in Shelby County, Tennessee, has ordered Mercedes-Benz of Collierville and technician Derrick Nguyen to pay customer Kimberly Porter more than $20,000 after Nguyen allegedly took her Mercedes on what can only be described as a personal happy-hour tour.
Porter brought her car in for repair like anyone else would, trusting that it would stay parked somewhere on the lot until it was ready. Instead, according to court records, Nguyen took the vehicle to J. Alexander’s and then TJ Mulligans, two restaurant and bar spots that, as far as we know, don’t offer valet service that includes borrowing someone else’s Mercedes. Porter only found out her car had left the building thanks to a notification from a third-party tracking device, which is either a happy coincidence or the best money she’s ever spent on an aftermarket accessory.
Nguyen was arrested and charged with theft back in January, and the case eventually made its way to civil court, where the dealership’s attorney argued that Nguyen had permission to take the car on an “extended test drive.” Judge Lynn Cobb apparently wasn’t buying what amounts to the world’s most creative excuse for a bar run, and the ruling reflects that.
This one has all the makings of a cautionary tale for anyone who’s ever handed over their keys and just assumed the worst that could happen was a scratched rim.
What The Judge Actually Said
Judge Cobb didn’t hold back in the written ruling, reported WREG. Consumers who take their cars in for service anticipate the vehicle will be kept in local proximity to the dealership or shop, the judge noted, adding that customers don’t expect their car to be taken from the dealership or used for someone’s personal purpose. Cobb also said the situation needs “regulating,” which suggests this isn’t a one-off headache for the courts.
The Damages Breakdown
The total award to Porter comes to $20,270, which includes $15,000 in punitive damages. The judge described the conduct behind those punitive damages as “extreme and outrageous,” a phrase that doesn’t get thrown around lightly in a courtroom. Damages in Shelby County General Sessions Court are capped at $25,000, so this ruling landed close to the ceiling.
Before the trial even started, video surfaced that reportedly showed Nguyen discussing which car to take, undercutting any claim that this was an authorized joyride rather than something Porter never agreed to.
What Comes Next
Porter’s attorney, Kevin Snider, said the ruling sends a clear message that consumers will be protected from dealerships and employees who engage in this kind of behavior and then try to justify it after getting caught.
Nguyen is due back in criminal court in Collierville next month on the theft charge, so the legal side of this story isn’t finished yet.