PASADENA, Texas – A Pasadena used car salesman is facing multiple charges, including two assault charges for attacking a KPRC 2 reporter and photojournalist.
Court documents reveal that the salesman, 27-year-old David Antonio Estrada, is also accused of embezzling at least $144,454 from a Tomball car dealership.
Estrada is currently in custody after a physical altercation with KPRC 2 reporter Gage Goulding and Photojournalist Oscar Chavez on Thursday. The crew was at Strawberry Road Auto Sales in Pasadena to investigate claims by a single mother who said she was defrauded of $1,500 while attempting to purchase a used car.
While interviewing Estrada, who is a manager at the dealership, the interaction escalated. Without warning, Estrada grabbed the camera, twisted arms, and threw elbows at Chavez. Police arrived on the scene shortly after and arrested Estrada, charging him with two counts of assault.
However, the assault charges are just part of Estrada’s legal troubles.
Records show he had an outstanding felony warrant for aggregate theft at the time of the incident.
Accused of stealing over $144,000 from Fred Haas Nissan
Estrada, formerly employed as a finance manager at Fred Haas Nissan in Houston, is accused of stealing $144,454 from 73 customer loans between August 2022 and April 2023. According to investigators, Estrada devised a scheme to embezzle customers’ cash down payments.
How the scheme worked
According to court records, Estrada manipulated the dealership’s sales process by altering and forging vehicle sales documents. He used the dealership’s systems to hide the theft by funneling down payments into three credit cards not registered in his name.
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Fred Haas Toyota Comptroller Susan Wagner and Sales Manager Greg Sanders explained the dealership’s finance and insurance (F&I) process, which includes three key systems:
- An internal system to initiate F&I contracts.
- A data management system (CDK).
- Dealertrack, an external portal for communication with banks and lenders.
In a legitimate transaction, contract details are uploaded from CDK to Dealertrack, where a digital contract is created. Customers sign electronically, and completed contracts are sent to banks for approval. Copies of these contracts are stored digitally for dealership records.
Estrada reportedly exploited a loophole in the system by editing contracts within CDK, bypassing Dealertrack’s safeguards. He sent the original contract to banks while altering the dealership’s copy to misrepresent the transaction. This allowed him to pocket customers’ down payments without raising immediate suspicion.
The dealership’s systems logged every change Estrada made, including timestamps, which investigators say provided evidence of his fraudulent activity. Surveillance footage also captured Estrada using one of the credit cards linked to the stolen funds to make a purchase, further implicating him in the scheme.
Ongoing investigation
Estrada remains in custody as investigations into both the assault and theft charges continue. Prosecutors are working to determine the full extent of the embezzlement and the harm caused to customers and the dealership.
Juniper Calloway is a dedicated journalist with 3 years of experience in covering hard-hitting stories. Known for her commitment to delivering timely and accurate updates, she currently works with MikeandJon Podcast, where she focuses on reporting critical topics such as crime, local news, and national developments across the United States. Her ability to break down complex issues and keep audiences informed has established her as a trusted voice in journalism.
