Deliberately impairing or tampering with a vehicle's braking system is a crime under U.S. law (e.g., criminal tampering, vandalism, and related public-safety statutes). Depending on intent and the results, such conduct can support more serious charges (e.g., attempted murder, aggravated assault, or reckless endangerment), but the unambiguous criminal act shown in the episode is the physical sabotage of the brakes.