Friend Left Car With Me 6+ Months Ago, Owes Me Money, Won’t Respond — What Can I Legally Do?

Location: California

I’ll try to keep this as simple as possible, even though it’s a complicated situation.

Back in December 2024, my friend had to help his mom move to Texas. He left his car in my care and said he’d be back soon. It’s now June 2025 and he’s still not back. He left the keys inside the car, and I was able to get them out, but I don’t have a driver’s license and don’t drive the car. I’ve just been keeping it safe.

Since he’s been in Texas, he hasn’t been able to work and I’ve sent him money here and there to help him out. Sometimes he pays me back, but there have been a few times where he doesn’t and then completely ignores me — until he needs more money again. Most recently, he took $200 from me and hasn’t paid it back. $150 of that was money I asked him to hold for me for emergencies, and he spent it without telling me. I’m 19 and living alone, so that money really matters to me.

I’ve asked him before to make arrangements to move the car, and he ignored me. That was a few months back and we’ve talked about the car since.. I feel like he’s completely abandoned it. For some context, the reason he went to Texas in the first place was to help his mom flee the state to avoid jail time. That’s why I’m saying this feels like he just dumped the car and dipped.

At this point, I’m fed up and just want to be done with the situation. I want to know if I have any legal grounds to:

• Put the car in my name
• Sell it to make back what I’m owed
• Or should i just have it towed?
• What happens if i just give it away? Is that theft?

Do I have any rights here? The car is not registered to me, and I don’t have the title, i’m pretty sure he has that with him in Texas.

I just want to be free of the situation and get my money back if possible. Any advice would really help.