SANDY, Utah — A 35-year-old man has been charged with multiple crimes after allegedly driving his car through the front doors of a Sandy dealership following a heated dispute over a vehicle purchase.
Michael Murray was charged with felony destruction of property, misdemeanor reckless endangerment, and misdemeanor economic interruption after the Dec. 9 incident, which caused significant damage to the dealership. According to court documents, Murray became involved in a confrontation with dealership staff after claiming that the vehicle he purchased was defective, referring to it as a “lemon.”
Murray reportedly demanded a refund from the dealership, but when the situation could not be resolved to his satisfaction, he threatened to ram his vehicle through the building’s front doors. Surveillance footage of the incident shows Murray following through on that threat, driving his car straight into the dealership lobby.
The crash resulted in damages exceeding $85,000, forcing the dealership to close for several days in order to repair the destruction. The probable cause statement also mentioned that Murray expressed to officers after his arrest that the dealership had tried to “sell him a lemon.”
In the aftermath of the incident, the dealership owners confirmed Murray’s account of the confrontation. Police authorities, who arrested Murray following the incident, noted that the destruction of property caused significant disruptions to business operations.
Murray has been issued a $10,000 bail, though an indictment for a no-bail warrant was also requested due to concerns over his potential danger to the community. As of today, it remains unclear whether he has been arrested under the new warrant.
The case continues to develop as the legal process moves forward.