Brave, Stupid Dealership Employee Stops Test Drive Car Theft Attempt

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A New Orleans man was arrested after he attempted to steal an Audi during a test drive on July 30. Reginald Vaughn went to an Audi dealership in the Louisiana town of Metairie to check out a few cars. When he went on a test drive, accompanied by an employee, things went sideways.

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Vaughn abruptly stopped the unnamed Audi in the middle of the street during the ill-fated test drive, the Jefferson Parish Sheiff’s Office told Nola.com. As he reached toward his waistband, he reportedly told the dealership employee, “This is where you get out or I will shoot you.” Vaughn’s issue is that the guy he was on the test drive with was either too brave or too foolish to get out of the car.

He grabbed the 39-year-old’s arms and held them down, according to Nola.com. From there, Vaughn hit the Audi’s accelerator and the two began fighting inside the car. Before he could free his arm, the unidentified dealership employee was able to put the car in park. The two men exchanged punches to the face before a witness walked over to the car. The employee asked them for help, saying Vaughn was trying to steal the car.

It was at this point that Vaughn jumped out of the car and ran down the road. A second witness saw him running into a nearby urgent care on North Causeway Boulevard, Nola.com reports. That’s where deputies ended up finding and arresting Vaughn. He was booked on attempted first-degree robbery and is currently being held at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on $200,000 bail. As it turns out, he was already on probation for attempted simple burglary after pleading guilty to burglarizing vehicles at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.