A 25-year-old Irvine man is under arrest after police say he spray-painted 13 Teslas across two parking garages. The red markings included the words “Nazi” and “Fascist,” turning a targeted car-tagging spree into a felony vandalism investigation. A takeout order allegedly became the clue that brought the case down.
A Takeout Order Became The Break In
According to CBS Los Angeles, Irvine police arrested Max Sebastian Solomon on Tuesday, July 28, after receiving tips from the public and connecting him to a previous verbal altercation in which he allegedly spat on a Tesla stopped at an intersection. Police said detectives identified him through a takeout order he was carrying during that incident. Solomon, an Irvine resident, was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism.
Two Garage Attacks Hit 13 Teslas
The case started with surveillance footage from Irvine parking garages, where police said a man used red spray paint on Tesla vehicles. NBC Los Angeles reported that the first incident involved four cars, followed by nine more in a nearby garage, bringing the total to 13. Officers said the department increased patrols while investigators worked to identify the suspect.
For the owners, the vandalism was less political theater than an unwelcome surprise in a parking garage. ABC7 Los Angeles reported that one victim found “Nazi” painted across his vehicle and said the damage kept him from driving it for several days until the paint was removed. Victims told the station they believed the cars may have been caught in a broader grievance involving Elon Musk, but police have not publicly established a motive.
What The Felony Vandalism Booking Means
Solomon has been booked, not convicted, and the booking allegation is not a final charging decision. Under California law, vandalism causing $400 or more in damage can be punished as a felony, with potential imprisonment and fines of up to $10,000. Formal charges, if any, would be determined by prosecutors as the case moves forward.
The arrest closes the public-identification phase of the case, but the cleanup bills and motive questions remain. Whatever grievance may have been behind the messages, the people left dealing with it were drivers who parked their cars and came back to find someone else’s politics sprayed across them.
