After a crash killed two of her friends, 19-year-old Krysta Tsukahara was burned alive in a Tesla Cybertruck that “entombed” her as it went up in flames.
On Nov. 27, 2024, Krysta and three friends — all home from college for Thanksgiving — crashed into a retaining wall in Piedmont, California. The vehicle caught fire, trapping Krysta, driver Soren Dixon (19), and passenger Jack Nelson (20), who all died. Only Jordan Miller survived, pulled from the wreckage by a friend who smashed a window to reach him.
Toxicology reports found Dixon had meth, cocaine, and a blood alcohol level of 0.195. Tsukahara and Nelson also had alcohol and cocaine in their systems.
Though Krysta survived the crash with minor injuries, a wrongful death lawsuit claims she was trapped due to an electrical failure that disabled the doors, leaving her unable to escape. The suit says Tesla’s design lacks an accessible manual override, calling her death preventable and caused by Tesla’s “conscious disregard” for safety.
The families of Tsukahara and Nelson are suing Tesla and the truck’s owner’s estate, alleging fatal design flaws. Tesla has not publicly responded.
The Cybertruck, launched in late 2023, has since faced multiple recalls and growing criticism over safety. As lawsuits proceed, scrutiny grows over Tesla’s responsibility in the fatal crash.