WESTLAKE, Ohio — A 44-year-old woman is wanted in Westlake after police released a video Tuesday that shows her allegedly using a key to scratch a Tesla at a parking garage in Crocker Park.
The incident dates back to March 17 when a male came to the police station to report criminal damaging to his vehicle.
He told police he had been waiting for another car to pull out of a spot in the parking garage when a Toyota RAV4 driven by an unknown woman allegedly tried to drive around him to take the spot instead.
“The Tesla driver repositioned his vehicle to prevent the RAV4 from grabbing the spot,” according to Westlake police.
He also reported seeing the woman staring at him as he parked and left his vehicle in the garage.
“When he returned to the Tesla, he noticed that someone had damaged the paint on the vehicle,” police explained. “A review of video footage showed this female use a key to damage the paint along the entire length of the Tesla.”
Using camera footage and Flock license plate readers, police say they discovered the license plate of the RAV4 and confirmed the vehicle’s registered owner as the same person suspected in the criminal damaging.
Warrants for her arrest for misdemeanor criminal damaging were received from Rocky River Municipal Court. While she was not taken into custody as of Tuesday night, Westlake police are encouraging the woman to turn herself in.
“We’re open 24/7,” the department wrote.
Westlake police also shared this warning in their Facebook post: "Road rage crime will not work out for you in Westlake. We will use all available legal means to figure out suspects' identities and will prosecute to the fullest!"