Lexus Owner Disputes Fault After Collision At Tinley Park Car Wash

Bria Brooks is disputing the findings of an arbitration panel that assigned full fault to the driver behind her during a collision at a Tinley Park car wash in January. Brooks, who drives a Lexus RX 350, says the automatic wash equipment malfunctioned, causing her vehicle to stop and be struck by a 2023 Ford F-150. She estimates the damage at $4,000 and says she incurred additional costs for a rental car.

The incident occurred on January 16, 2026, at Gas & Wash on West 183rd Street. Brooks stated she had visited the facility dozens of times prior. According to her account, the car stopped moving mid-cycle with a grinding sound. After approximately four minutes, the driver behind her knocked on her window and stated the machine had malfunctioned. Brooks said a manager promised the facility would cover the damage but did not provide insurance details at the time.

Gas & Wash’s internal incident report from January 16 noted that Brooks’ vehicle was rocking without moving and recorded scratches and dents. The report did not include a written admission of responsibility. Brooks claims she was later told an adjudicator found she applied the brakes three times during the event. She disputes this account and requested to view the surveillance footage. She currently faces a $250 deductible and feels the record shows she caused the accident.

Insurance documents reviewed for this report show a different allocation of fault. Screenshots from Allstate’s claim portal assign 100% responsibility to the driver of the Ford F-150 and 0% to Brooks. Allstate subsequently attempted to recover its payment and the deductible from the other party’s insurer. A letter dated June 30, 2026, stated that an arbitration panel ruled against Allstate in its recovery effort. A follow-up letter on July 1, 2026, confirmed that recovery efforts had ended. The letters did not specify the other insurer or explain the panel’s reasoning.

A photograph of the wash entrance shows a yellow sign instructing drivers not to use brakes or engage automatic parking brakes. The sign states that drivers will be responsible for accidents. Brooks says this sign was added after her collision, though the timing has not been independently verified. Illinois negligence law allows for shared fault, where a claimant’s recovery is reduced by their percentage of responsibility. If a driver is found more than 50% at fault, they are barred from recovery. These general rules do not resolve the specific cause of the collision in Brooks’ case.

Gas & Wash’s corporate office was contacted for comment and to review the video footage. As of this report, the company had not responded. Brooks, who paid approximately $50 per month for a wash membership, says she wants other customers to be aware of the incident before using the facility. She maintains she did nothing wrong and continues to dispute the arbitration outcome.