In Texarkana, Texas, police arrested a man accused of using a mini ATV to harm Tesla vehicles. The incidents were caught on Tesla’s Sentry Mode cameras.
Attack at Golden Palace Chinese buffet
On March 25, 2025, 33-year-old Demarqeyun Marquize Cox targeted a red Tesla parked outside the Golden Palace Chinese buffet. Video from the car’s Sentry Mode showed him crashing his mini ATV into the vehicle’s side.
The damage to the driver’s door cost over $1,000. The owner, Virita Carstaffin, got a phone alert about the attack and later saw the harm done.
More attacks reported
Other Tesla owners reported similar incidents. At a Lowe’s parking lot nearby and another spot, someone scratched “ELON” into the vehicles. This likely points to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Police think Cox is behind these too.
Suspect caught and charged
An officer spotted Cox from the video evidence and took him into custody. He gave a fake name at first. Now, he faces felony criminal mischief and failure to identify charges.
He’s held at the Bi-State Justice Center with a $105,000 bond. More charges might come as police keep looking into it.
Pattern of Tesla vandalism
This isn’t a one-off event. Tesla cars have been hit before with arson and other damage. Some tie it to anger over Musk’s role in the Trump administration. The FBI calls these acts “domestic terrorism” because of how serious they are.
Sentry Mode helps police
Tesla’s Sentry Mode, a built-in camera system, keeps proving useful. It records these crimes and helps law enforcement catch suspects. With attacks on Tesla vehicles continuing, the system shows why car security matters today.
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