Tesla Is Sued by Survivor of Deadly California Cybertruck Crash
Tesla Inc. was sued by the sole survivor of a 2024 Cybertruck crash in California that killed three college students who were unable to escape the burning vehicle, the latest in a growing body of litigation faulting the automaker’s electrically powered doors.
Jordan Miller was rescued by a friend who witnessed the middle-of-the-night crash in the San Francisco suburb of Piedmont and smashed a window with a tree branch after the doors wouldn’t open. The other occupants — driver Soren Dixon, 19; Jack Nelson, 20; and Krysta Tsukahara, 19 — all died in the vehicle of smoke inhalation.
Related: Tesla Sued Over Crash That Trapped, Killed Massachusetts Driver
“Despite having extensive knowledge of the dangers of its door systems, Tesla consciously disregarded the safety of occupants in Tesla vehicles, and prioritized aesthetics over function, all while refusing to make changes to its door systems,” according to the complaint, which was filed in Alameda County Superior Court. “To this day, Tesla continues to market and sell a dangerous vehicle.”
Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Details of the crash were previously reported by Bloomberg News as part of a wide-ranging investigation into the hazards of electric door systems, which can fail and trap occupants inside vehicles, particularly after a crash. The reporting uncovered at least 15 deaths in a dozen incidents over the past decade in which occupants or rescuers were unable to open the doors of a Tesla that had crashed and caught fire.
The families of Nelson and Tsukahara filed separate complaints in October over the Piedmont crash, alleging Tesla knew of issues with the doors but failed to take appropriate action.
Related: Tesla Sued Over Another Fatal Crash in Growing Scrutiny of Doors
Tesla’s chief designer said in September that the Austin-based company was working on a redesign of its door handles to make them more intuitive in emergency situations. In December, Tesla updated its website to say that after a serious collision is detected, hazard lights will turn onto increase visibility and “doors will automatically unlock for emergency access.”
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a defect investigation into certain Model Y SUVs, citing incidents in which exterior handles stopped working and trapped children and other occupants inside. In December, NHTSA said it would evaluate a request for a defect probe that was filed by a Georgia man who had to kick his way out of his burning Model 3 sedan.
The case is Miller v. the Estate of Soren Mangseth Dixon, 25CV135984, California Superior Court, Alameda County.
Top photo: A memorial for three college students who died in a Cybertruck crash, in Piedmont, California in 2024. Bloomberg.