A man faces felony charges after taking a Tesla Cybertruck for a test drive, not returning it, and causing approximately $20,000 in damages, deputies said.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After a man took a Cybertruck for a 30-minute test drive and didn’t return it, an assistant manager from the car dealership went to recover it, only to find it with $20,000 in damages, Pinellas County deputies said in two arrest affidavits.
On Nov. 26, Richel Valdivia was arrested by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and faces allegations of taking a Tesla Cybertruck from a dealership on 4601 34th Street N in St. Pete and smashing it with a hammer. Valdivia is facing two felony charges for criminal mischief and grand theft motor vehicle.
Around 4 p.m. on Nov. 17, Valdivia visited a shop to pick up a Cybertruck for a 30-minute demo drive, according to PCSO.
But instead of returning the truck after the test drive, Valdivia held onto it for two days, according to deputies. On the morning of Nov. 19, the assistant manager from the car dealership visited Valdivia’s home and successfully recovered the truck.
But after it was returned, deputies said the assistant manager found extensive dmaage to the inside of the truck.
According to the PCSO, Valdivia damaged the Cybertruck’s rearview camera, and the GPS monitor was missing from the front windshield. The driver’s side sun visor was detached, and the front left and right fender flares were torn off and barely hanging on. Inside the fender flares, several small landscaping rocks were found, along with men’s underwear on each side, according to the affidavit.
Deputies said that the assistant manager got footage from the Cybertruck showing Valdivia intentionally damaging the car. The assistant manager informed the deputies that he estimates the damage to the truck to be around $20,000.
A $5,000 bond was set for each charge. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office jail records, Valdivia’s bond has been paid.