Auto Repair Shop Accused of Letting Customer Drive Away With Dangerous Exhaust Defect Before He and 20-Year-Old Passenger Died

A routine visit to an auto repair shop allegedly ended with a devastating tragedy after two co-workers were found dead inside a parked vehicle, overcome by carbon monoxide. Now, the family of 20-year-old Yeisimar Morales-Sanchez is pursuing a wrongful-death lawsuit, accusing an Illinois repair shop of allowing a customer to drive away despite allegedly failing to properly address a dangerous exhaust-system defect. The lawsuit claims that a preventable mechanical problem ultimately cost two young people’s lives.

The victims were identified as Yeisimar Morales-Sanchez, 20, of Crystal Lake, and Kirby Graham, 32, of Grayslake. According to the complaint, the two co-workers were sitting inside Graham’s parked vehicle in Crystal Lake, Illinois, on November 4, 2025, when they were overcome by carbon monoxide. At approximately 5:32 a.m., a passerby noticed them inside the car and initially believed they might be asleep. After realizing something was wrong, the person contacted authorities. Police officers and a firefighter arrived to find both occupants unresponsive. Emergency responders attempted lifesaving measures, but neither victim survived.

The lawsuit names Amerimex Mufflers, Brakes & Auto Repair, Inc., a business in Grayslake. According to the complaint, Graham had brought his vehicle to the shop specifically for an exhaust-system inspection. The family alleges that the business failed to properly identify or correct the defect and nevertheless allowed him to leave with the vehicle. The complaint argues that a properly conducted inspection should have revealed the dangerous condition and that the shop knew, or should have known, that carbon monoxide could enter the passenger compartment. The family believes the vehicle should not have been returned to the road until the problem had been addressed.

The McHenry County Coroner’s Office determined that both Graham and Morales-Sanchez died from carbon monoxide toxicity and classified their deaths as accidental. Investigators reportedly found a defective exhaust system in Graham’s vehicle. Carbon monoxide is particularly dangerous because it is colorless and odorless, meaning people exposed to it may not recognize the danger before becoming confused, losing consciousness or suffering fatal poisoning. The lawsuit further alleges that Morales-Sanchez remained conscious and experienced pain before losing her life, and her family is seeking damages for the suffering she allegedly endured.

Beyond the alleged mechanical negligence, the complaint also accuses the repair business of violating provisions of the Illinois Automotive Repair Act. These claims include allegedly failing to provide a written estimate, obtain proper authorization for repairs and issue an accurate invoice. Morales-Sanchez’s family is seeking more than $100,000 on each of two claims: wrongful death and survival damages, along with court costs and interest. The lawsuit also states that the shop’s alleged failures directly contributed to the conditions that led to the two deaths.

As of November 4, 2026, Amerimex had not filed a formal response to the lawsuit, and court records indicated that attempts to serve the business had been unsuccessful. A manager contacted by Law&Crime reportedly acknowledged awareness of the case and said the owner was handling the matter. The allegations have not yet been tested in court, and the repair shop has not been found legally responsible. For the families of Morales-Sanchez and Graham, however, the lawsuit represents an effort to obtain answers about how a vehicle allegedly inspected for exhaust problems could still have posed such a deadly risk.

Source: Law&Crime