Tesla cameras catch two women lying about carjacking crash

Two women from Georgia were arrested in Houston after video footage contradicted their claim that they were victims of a carjacking during a minor crash. The Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office said Kenyarda Leavell and Portia Ellis reported being forced out of a blue Audi at gunpoint on Saturday morning. The incident occurred just after 3 a.m. in the 1800 block of Laurel Valley Drive. The video from the struck vehicle showed the Audi pulling up to the parked car and making contact, a sequence that did not match the story the women told emergency dispatchers.

Johnny Tran, the owner of the parked Tesla, was visiting Houston from Austin with a traveling car club. He had left his vehicle outside his Airbnb overnight. The car was modified for racing and was scheduled to appear at the Slammedenuff Texas Car Show at the Reliant Center later that day. Tran received an alert on his phone indicating that someone had hit the vehicle. He went outside and saw two people standing behind the car before they walked away without speaking to him.

Deputies said the women called 911 within minutes of the collision. They told dispatchers that a man had taken their car at gunpoint and crashed it into the Tesla before fleeing. A dispatcher on police radio noted that the callers described jumping from the vehicle and running to a nearby Airbnb. That residence was located just houses down from the crash site. Deputies found both women there and took them into custody.

Leavell faces charges for leaving the scene of the crash and making a false report. Ellis was charged with making a false report. Both women were released on $100 bonds each. Their bond conditions do not appear to restrict their travel, even though both are listed as living in Georgia. The constable's office stated that the on-board cameras provided clear evidence of the sequence of events, disproving the narrative of a forced carjacking.

Tran said the Tesla is no longer drivable due to the impact. He described the rear axle as bent and noted visible body damage to the vehicle. He is currently working with his insurance company to determine if Leavell had coverage for the collision. Tran credited the car's Sentry Mode feature for capturing the incident and notifying him of the contact. He said he might not have known who was responsible for the damage without the video evidence.

The case illustrates how vehicle technology can provide immediate evidence in low-visibility incidents. The crash happened in the early morning hours when few witnesses were present. The specific details of the women's story, including the location of the Airbnb they ran to, aligned with the physical evidence gathered by deputies. The constable's office did not release further details about the condition of the Audi or the status of the man the women claimed was driving it.