() A Minnesota man will no longer be criminally charged for allegedly vandalizing six Tesla vehicles.
Authorities say Dylan Adams, a 33-year-old state employee, was seen on camera causing about $20,000 in damage to the vehicles by keying them. Adams was later arrested and could have faced felony charges, but the Hennepin County Attorney said they would instead give him the option of participating in a diversion program.
The crime has been part of a growing trend of Teslas being targeted by vandals in protest of CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in the federal government.
The Minnesota Police Brass expressed their outrage over the decision not to prosecute Adams’ case, saying their detectives did hard work on the case and are left wondering what it was worth.
They say the evidence against Adams is overwhelming, with multiple videos from each Tesla vehicle’s 360-degree surveillance camera appearing to show him approach and attempt to key them.
The county attorney stated that the diversion program suggested to Adams will enable him to retain his state employment and learn from his mistakes without facing jail time.
“Our investigators are always frustrated when the cases they poured their hearts into are declined,” Minneapolis Police Department Chief Brian O’Hara said in a statement. “In my experience, the victims in these cases often feel the same.”
There is now a debate on whether U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi will step in to prosecute more cases of Tesla vandalism. For the past month, Bondi has charged three vandals with domestic terrorism in cases from Oregon, Colorado and South Carolina.
The decision to not press charges has also received backlash from community members, some of whom took to the Hennepin County Facebook page and said they hoped federal prosecutors take over the case.
The Hennepin County attorney said they will still leave the door open for criminal charges if Adams continues to break the law. They say diversion programs are a good way to secure restitution and hold Adams accountable while reducing the likelihood of him offending again.
