Katy veteran sues apartment complex after Aston Martin theft injury

A Katy Navy veteran is suing her apartment complex after she says she was injured trying to stop thieves from taking her Aston Martin from Soneto on Western, 23615 Western Centre Dr. in Katy. Her lawsuit turns a dramatic vehicle theft into a broader fight over apartment security, landlord responsibility and what residents can do when a gate fails and crime complaints pile up.

The veteran says she briefly left the car outside while carrying her six-year-old daughter inside. When she returned, she saw the Aston Martin being driven away and chased after it. Surveillance video described in the case shows her catching up to the vehicle at the exit gate, exchanging words with the driver, then climbing into the car through the open driver’s-side window as it sped off. She says the thief jumped a curb, crashed just outside the complex and ran away on foot. The veteran also said she bought the Aston Martin for herself when she turned 21, and that she was not willing to watch it disappear.

Her attorneys argue that the apartment owner and management company should be held liable because they failed to adequately secure the property despite what they describe as a pattern of crime. They say the gate was not working properly and that residents had already been warned about rising vehicle crime in the area. The veteran is seeking at least $250,000, and her injuries affected her ankle, knee and back.

The criminal case remains unresolved. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said it could not find DNA or fingerprints to identify the suspect, a reminder of how often vehicle theft cases hinge on limited physical evidence. In a county that serves more than 4.1 million residents, vehicle theft remains a major concern, and apartment lots with broken entry systems can become a flash point for both insurance claims and civil lawsuits.

Texas tenants often raise negligent-security claims when they say managers knew, or should have known, about a dangerous condition such as a broken gate, repeated thefts or reported break-ins and failed to take reasonable steps to fix it. In cases like this, residents should keep photos or video of the damage, copies of maintenance requests, emails or texts to management, police reports, medical records, tow or repair bills, and the names of any witnesses. Those records can become central if a dispute over apartment security turns into a court fight.