A college student from California tragically lost her life when her Tesla Cybertruck turned into a deadly entrapment — locking her and her friends inside after the vehicle crashed and ignited, as revealed in recent lawsuits.
Three students, including 19-year-old Krysta Tsukahara, perished in the early morning hours of November when their electric vehicle erupted in flames after colliding with a retaining wall and a tree in Piedmont, California.
The driver, 19-year-old Soren Dixon, along with passenger Jack Nelson, 20, also succumbed to injuries in the horrifying crash on November 27. A fourth passenger, Jordan Miller, fortunately managed to escape after a bystander broke the windshield with a tree branch.
Despite surviving the initial impact and being fully aware of her surroundings, Tsukahara was unable to free herself from the burning vehicle after the Cybertruck lost power, which disabled its electronic door release system, according to a lawsuit filed by her parents, Carl and Noelle Tsukahara. The case was covered by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The young woman ultimately died from burns and smoke inhalation after bystanders could not pull her or the other occupants from the vehicle, according to the lawsuit. The suit is also seeking damages from Dixon’s estate and the vehicle’s owner.
Tesla’s doors are operated by a 12-volt battery that can fail if the vehicle loses power during an accident, and the manual emergency interior door release is notoriously challenging to locate, as highlighted in the suit, which has been filed in Alameda County Superior Court.
“This situation is a nightmare. Tesla is aware that these incidents have occurred and continue to happen while they sell vehicles equipped with a system that traps individuals without providing a means for escape,” commented family attorney Roger Dreyer to the Chronicle.
The lawsuit presents over 30 documented instances of alleged issues with Tesla’s door mechanisms and accuses the Elon Musk-led company of exhibiting a “conscious disregard” for consumer safety, having been aware of these problems for an extended period.
Tesla’s advanced handleless door feature, which operates at the touch of a button, is reportedly prone to malfunction during accidents and “lacks a functional, accessible, and visible manual door release mechanism or fail-safe,” according to the lawsuit.
The Tsukaharas filed their lawsuit against Tesla this past Thursday, but the company has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Naturally, Nelson’s parents have also pursued legal action against Tesla, filing their own lawsuit on the same day.
Both lawsuits are pursuing unspecified punitive damages against the electric vehicle manufacturer.
All four individuals had traces of cocaine, alcohol, and other substances in their systems when the incident occurred, with the California Highway Patrol previously noting that impaired driving and excessive speed contributed to the crash, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
However, the attorney representing the Tsukahatas insists they have a “very, very strong case” against Tesla.
“They [Tesla] will try to place the blame on Mr. Dixon or anyone else but themselves. But this vehicle should not have trapped these individuals, including my clients’ daughter. This is our attempt to hold the responsible party accountable and rectify this misconduct,” Dreyer asserted.
The Cybertruck, which garnered significant attention during its launch in November 2023, has encountered numerous challenges since its debut, facing various recalls and a drastic decline in sales over the past year.
In September, it was reported that Tesla was being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration following complaints from owners of the 2021 Model Y SUVs, who indicated that the doors would not open, leading some parents to resort to smashing windows to free their children.
