Shocking dashcam footage captures the moment a rental car was totaled after a woman appeared to be texting behind the wheel.

Jose Arevalo, 18, had rented out his 2013 Nissan Leaf on the car-sharing app Turo on August 25, 2025.

Just hours after handing over the keys, Jose says he received a message from the woman claiming she had been "driven off the road" and that the car was being towed."

But when he collected the vehicle the next day and reviewed the dashcam, he discovered the footage showed the woman texting just before the crash.

Repair estimates came to $4,959 (£3,692) - roughly the same as the car's value - leaving it effectively totaled.

Jose, a part-time trampoline park employee from Arlington, Washington, said: "I was so shocked when I saw the dashcam. "

"I believed what she texted me and thought someone had really driven her off the road."

"To see her so blatantly texting and then so clearly lie about it seemed so strange to me."

Jose had only started renting his car on Turo a week earlier to make extra money after his work hours were cut.

He had installed the dashcam six months prior for safety, always informing renters about it in advance.

The morning of Monday 25 August, Jose says received a rental request from a woman who asked if he could drop off the car to her.

Jose said: "I remember telling this woman about the dashcam and even offering to turn it off if it made her uncomfortable."

"But she said she was fine with it. "

"That's why I think it's even stranger that she'd lie, because she knew the camera was there."

That evening, Jose says he received a text from the woman saying she had been run off the road into a ditch and the car was being towed.

According to Jose, the woman sent him follow up message saying she filed a report with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office and opened a claim with Turo, both of which omitted any mention of her texting while driving.

Jose said: "One of the first things I thought of when she texted me about the accident was the dashcam, but she didn't say anything about it. "

"I just took her word on what happened because I figured, who would lie on a police report?"

Initially, the damage looked minor - just a dented bumper.

But mechanics later found the AC system, radiator, radiator support and motor were all badly damaged, requiring extensive repairs.

"The cost of repairs outweighs the cost of a new car, which honestly shocked me," Jose said. "

"When I spoke to an insurance agent, they told me the woman is liable for the cost of a replacement vehicle. "

"I should be hearing from the insurance company soon about next steps."

The police was contacted for comment.