Memphis Woman Tracked Her Sedan Using GPS Alerts
Kimberly Porter left her Mercedes-Benz C300 at the dealership due to engine problems, which she believed were caused by low-quality fuel. However, instead of waiting for repairs, she received unexpected alerts from the car’s built-in GPS tracker.
Night Trip Beyond the Service Area
Late on Friday, January 16, Porter’s phone notified her that her car had left the dealership premises. At first, she thought it was a technical glitch, but the next alert confirmed the car was moving. The tracker showed that the C300 first stopped near the J. Alexander’s restaurant in the Cordova suburb, and after midnight moved to the TJ Mulligan’s bar.
Parking Lot Confrontation and Arrest
Without delay, Porter used a car borrowed from the dealer and followed the coordinates. Her Mercedes was indeed parked in the bar’s lot. She opened it with a spare key and called the police, believing the car had been stolen. However, the situation turned out differently. Inside the car, police found a jacket with an ID badge belonging to a dealership employee named Derrick Nguyen.
One of the officers recognized the name and confirmed that Nguyen worked at Mercedes.
Attempt to Justify and Consequences
The detained Nguyen was led out of the bar in handcuffs. He claimed he had permission to use the car, but the dealership’s service manager refuted this statement. Nguyen was arrested and charged with property theft. According to court documents, he was intoxicated at the time of arrest.
Subsequent Disputes and Lawsuit
Kimberly Porter filed a civil lawsuit against Derrick Nguyen and the Mercedes-Benz of Collierville dealership. She also recounts that a dealership representative asked her to drop the charges, calling Nguyen
“a very good guy”
. Furthermore, in her opinion, the dealership pressured her, demanding the immediate return of the borrowed car and threatening to report it stolen.
This story serves as a reminder of the importance of caution and control when entrusting your car to third-party services. Modern technologies, such as GPS trackers, can be a key tool for protecting property. The incident also raises questions about internal procedures and staff selection at car dealerships, as customer trust is built not only on repair quality but also on guarantees of safety and professional ethics from every employee. Such cases can have serious legal and reputational consequences for a business.