A Mission Beach woman says she may need to return to Mexico in person while recovering from a shattered leg.
SAN DIEGO — The Mercedes SUV remained across the border, and its injured owner remained in San Diego, caught between medical limits and a vehicle recovery process that she says may require her to appear in Mexico.
Cassandra Light is trying to reclaim her Mercedes GLA after she was shot during an attempted carjacking in Tijuana in mid-June. She says the SUV has likely been released by investigators and moved to a tow yard, where possible daily storage charges are becoming a growing concern.
The case illustrates the limits of U.S. consular assistance when an American-owned vehicle is stolen, recovered or seized inside Mexico. Although the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana provides vehicle recovery information and can act as a liaison in some cases, it cannot direct Mexican authorities or represent a vehicle owner in a legal proceeding.
Light was driving back from Rosarito with her dog, Ellie, when another SUV boxed her in near a Tijuana highway on-ramp, she said. A masked gunman approached her window and fired twice, according to her account.
“Out of nowhere, from left, someone banging on my window,” Light said in a July 8 interview. “Fully masked up, hat on, all I could see was his eyes.”
Light said she leaned back as the first shot passed through the window and across the vehicle. She said the gunman then forced her from the Mercedes. Fearing that the attackers would take Ellie, Light tried to get back to the vehicle but collapsed after discovering she had been shot.
The attackers fled, and no arrests have been reported. Authorities have not publicly identified suspects or provided further details about the investigation.
Light suffered fractures to her tibia and fibula and underwent four surgeries. Her injuries now make the recovery process more difficult because, according to information she received through a lawyer in Mexico, she must appear in person to reclaim the vehicle.
Mexican authorities have not publicly confirmed the SUV’s location, its current legal status or the amount of any storage charges. Light said a contact familiar with the case told her that investigators had probably completed their examination and transferred the vehicle to a tow yard.
Light fears that charges are increasing while she remains unable to travel easily. “Why am I, as a violent crime victim, being charged?” she said. “Doesn’t seem fair.”
Published U.S. consular guidance distinguishes among vehicles stolen in the United States and recovered in Mexico, vehicles stolen while their owners were visiting Mexico, and vehicles seized by Mexican authorities. The Vehicle Recovery Unit primarily facilitates the return of vehicles stolen in the United States and later found in Mexico.
The guidance says the consulate does not have an official role in recovering vehicles stolen inside Mexico or vehicles held by Mexican customs or law enforcement. Owners dealing with a towed or seized vehicle are generally directed to the relevant local authorities.
Light said she reached the consulate and was referred to a vehicle recovery form as an initial step. She completed it and planned to follow up. It was not immediately clear whether her case falls within the Vehicle Recovery Unit’s formal role because the attempted theft and shooting occurred in Mexico and the SUV may have been retained as evidence.
It also remains unclear whether Mexican authorities would allow a lawyer or another representative with power of attorney to retrieve the SUV for her. Light said she had been told that she must appear personally, but no agency had publicly confirmed that requirement.
Light continues to recover in San Diego while seeking clarification from the consulate, her lawyer and Mexican authorities. No timetable has been announced for the SUV’s release or return.
Author note: Last updated July 23, 2026.