Raleigh woman catches a Garner auto repair shop manager using a racial slur

A Raleigh woman is calling out a Garner auto repair shop after catching a manager call her a racial slur while admitting to some shoddy work on her car.

Sheena Jackson needed her brakes repaired on her 2-year-old BMW 3 Series. She took her car to Auto Performance Center in Garner based on the shop’s positive reviews online.

Jackson said she had great service during her first trip.

“They treated me well,” she said.

However, a few weeks later, Jackson said the brake sensors alerted her to a problem. It prompted her to return to the repair shop on Monday. She said she paid more than $600 for the work.

During Jackson’s second trip to the repair shop, she put her phone down on the seat inside the office at 922 US-70 Unit A with the camera pointing to the ceiling as she stepped outside.

“The tension was high,” Jackson said. “I thought I was going to catch something, but I never thought It was going to catch this.”

A minute later, the shop’s female manager and another employee were caught on camera discussing who’s responsible for the work on Jackson’s car. Here’s a transcript of their interaction based on Jackson’s video:

Employee: “If we put it on there, we didn’t secure it properly.”

Manager: “F***.”

Employee: “Yeah, that’s on us.” Sorry, I know you want to rub it in her face, but …”

Manager: “Damn, I wanted to. Well, I was going to get Carlos to do it.”

Then, the recording captures the manager mocking Jackson and referring to her using the N-word.

“She came in here throwing a f***in’ attitude,” the manager said. “‘Your boss lady in the purple.’

“I was about to be like ‘Yo, n****, that smells like weed.’”

Jackson said she listened to the video while still waiting in the waiting room until the mechanics finished the repairs. She believes the business should be shut down.

“I’m a mom and I’m a coach and I carry a lot of kids around,” Jackson said. “If I would have killed somebody’s kid, I would be in jail for their mistake.”

Jackson posted the video to social media and hopes it sends a message.

“Just be very mindful of who you do business with,” Jackson said. “That’s what I would just tell anybody.”

Auto Performance Center owner Steve Ward told WRAL News he regrets what happened and that he wasn’t there during Monday’s incident. Ward said he’s received threatening and messages since Jackson’s post. He said his family has owned Auto Performance Center for 49 years.

Ward told WRAL News that the manager and employee caught on camera have been fired.

Jackson said video shows the two laughing then talking to another customer.

“I feel like me fussing at them was going to do what, nothing?” Jackson said. “But that video is powerful.”

Jackson said she plans to take her BMW to a dealership to get a full check.