Carvana sued in carbon monoxide death of 21-year-old college student. by Skyler Shepard Thu, May 7, 2026 at 9:34 AM Updated Thu, May 7, 2026 at 11:33 AM MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 11: A Carvana used car "vending machine" on May 11, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Carvana Co. announced it is letting go about 2,500 workers, a few weeks after the company posted a $506 million loss in the first quarter. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (CBS12) - A wrongful death lawsuit filed in Broward County alleges that Carvana sold a 2015 Kia Forte with a dangerous exhaust leak to a dealership in West Palm Beach, which then sold the vehicle to 21-year-old college student Allwyn Thompson Jr., who later died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Attorneys with Morgan & Morgan announced Wednesday that Thompson was found dead on June 29, 2024, inside his Kia Forte in the parking lot of a Fort Lauderdale nightclub he had visited the night before. An autopsy determined the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning. According to the 68-page lawsuit, Carvana sold the vehicle to the West Palm Beach dealership, which in turn sold the car to Thompson. The complaint alleges the vehicle contained an exhaust leak that allowed lethal levels of carbon monoxide to enter the cabin, a condition that was never detected or disclosed despite multiple inspections. The lawsuit further alleges that Thompson repeatedly brought the car in for service over a seven-month period, during which the vehicle underwent four separate inspections by different entities, including the selling dealership, CaRite of Oakland Park, and outside repair companies. Despite reported engine problems and warning lights, none of the inspections allegedly identified the exhaust leak or warned Thompson of the danger. Court filings state that proper inspections should have revealed the defect through audible noise, visible exhaust damage, or basic safety testing. Attorneys argue that the repeated failures to detect or repair the leak directly led to Thompson's death, which they say was preventable. In May 2024, Thompson sought service at a Midas location in Lake Worth. The lawsuit alleges the inspection relied on a digital checklist system that did not require technicians to check for exhaust leaks or carbon monoxide risks. That system, according to the complaint, was developed by Bolt On Technology LLC and approved for use by Midas' corporate entities. The Kia was returned to Thompson on May 10, 2024. Less than two months later, he was found dead, according to the lawsuit. "Failing to detect an exhaust leak is one of the most dangerous errors an automotive technician can make," Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Kris Bonham said in a joint statement. "There were four separate inspections of this Kia before it killed Allwyn, and the lawsuit states that none of the defendants did their duty to protect him." The lawsuit names Carvana, the West Palm Beach dealership involved in the sale, CaRite of Oakland Park, multiple Midas entities, TBC Tire & Battery Corporation, Bolt On Technology LLC, and other inspection and repair providers as defendants. The case, Thompson v. DMM Motors LLC et al., was originally filed in 2024 and expanded in April 2026 to add additional defendants. It is pending in the Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County. The lawsuit seeks damages under Florida's Wrongful Death Act and demands a jury trial. Attorneys for the defendants had not publicly responded to the allegations as of Wednesday. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas produced by vehicle exhaust, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Safety experts warn that leaks in exhaust systems can allow the gas to accumulate inside a vehicle, even in open-air parking lots, creating a potentially deadly hazard. SPONSORED CONTENT MORE TO EXPLORE

Carvana has filed a proxy statement urging shareholders to reject a proposal separating the chairman and CEO roles ahead of its 5 May 2026 annual meeting. Simultaneously, Bank of America downgraded the stock, warning that rising oil prices and higher interest rates could pressure the company's core lower- and middle-income customers. The company's Q1 2026 earnings on 29 April will be crucial, with investors monitoring unit growth and per-vehicle profitability amid macro headwinds. Carvana has also proposed a five-for-one stock split tied to the annual meeting, potentially broadening its shareholder base as volatility increases. Carvana's internal projections forecast $40.2 billion revenue and $3 billion earnings by 2029, requiring 25.6% annual revenue growth. However, some analysts remain cautious, projecting just $26.8 billion revenue and $1.1 billion earnings by 2028.