It’s heartbreaking to hear about what happened to this young woman in California. A 19-year-old college student named Krysta Tsukahara was basically trapped inside a Tesla Cybertruck that turned into a deadly inferno after a crash, killing her and two friends. The whole thing sounds like a nightmare no one should have to go through.
This all went down on November 27, 2024. Krysta was in the Cybertruck with three buddies when it smashed into a retaining wall and burst into flames. According to the Piedmont Police Department on Facebook, officers got there and saw the vehicle completely swallowed by fire. Sadly, it ended in multiple deaths.
Krysta, along with the driver Soren Dixon (also 19) and passenger Jack Nelson (20), were all recent grads from Piedmont High School. They’d come home for Thanksgiving break, probably excited to catch up with family and friends. But things turned tragic—the three couldn’t get out as the fire raged.
The only one who made it was Jordan Miller, pulled out by a friend who was driving behind them. That guy grabbed a tree branch and bashed the window 10 or 15 times until it gave way. He yanked a barely conscious Miller from the passenger seat just in time, right before the flames took over everything else.
From what KTVU reported, Dixon had meth and cocaine in his system, plus a blood alcohol level of 0.195—that’s way over the legal limit, more than double. Autopsies showed Krysta and Jack had alcohol and cocaine too.
Stuck with No Way Out
Krysta, a sophomore at Savannah College of Art and Design, actually survived the crash itself with just minor bumps and bruises. But according to a wrongful death lawsuit her parents filed, she couldn’t escape the locked doors and ended up dying from smoke inhalation and horrible burns. They say she went through unimaginable pain and terror in those final moments.
The suit claims she tried to get out, and even a Good Samaritan attempted to pull her through the front passenger window after the Tesla’s electrical system failed. But the doors wouldn’t budge, and neither could the rescuer open them. Eventually, the fire and heat forced her back inside, and that was it—she couldn’t be saved.
Tesla’s Alleged Neglect
Now, both the Tsukahara and Nelson families are suing Tesla and the estate of the Cybertruck’s owner, Charles Patterson (apparently related to Dixon). They’re pointing fingers at Tesla, run by Elon Musk, for what they call a “conscious disregard” for safety. The claims are that Tesla knew about serious issues with their electronic door systems for ages but didn’t bother fixing them.
The filings say the Cybertruck’s doors, powered by a 12-volt battery, stopped working after the crash, leaving everyone trapped in the burning truck. Sure, there’s a manual release, but the lawsuits argue it’s badly designed—hard to find and use in a panic, especially in an emergency like that. Basically, it left the victims with zero options.
Krysta’s family lawyer, Roger Dreyer, told the San Francisco Chronicle (as reported by the New York Post), “It’s just a horror story. Tesla knows this has happened before and it’ll happen again, but they’re still selling cars with a system that traps people without a real way out.” He added, “The design failed Krysta. There wasn’t a working, easy-to-use manual override or emergency exit. Her death could have been prevented.”
A Dangerous Machine?
Krysta’s dad, Carl, shared a statement with Fox Digital: “Krysta was a bright, kind, and talented young woman with so much ahead of her.” He went on, “We’ve not only lost our daughter, but we’ve dealt with this eerie silence about how and why she couldn’t escape. This company’s worth trillions—how do they put out a vehicle that’s unsafe in so many ways?”
The Nelson family’s lawsuit echoes that, saying rear passengers like Jack had only this hidden mechanical release that was confusing and tough to spot in the smoke and panic of a fire.
Both suits are going after punitive damages, accusing Tesla of knowingly pushing a flawed product.
Role of Impaired Driving
The California Highway Patrol says speeding and being under the influence played a big part in the crash. But the families aren’t letting that slide as an excuse for Tesla’s role. Dreyer put it bluntly: “They’ll try to pin it all on Mr. Dixon or anyone else but themselves. But this truck shouldn’t have trapped these kids. We’re holding the real wrongdoers accountable and pushing for change.”
The Cybertruck’s Rocky Road
Tesla rolled out the Cybertruck in late 2023 with tons of hype. But fast-forward less than two years, and it’s mired in controversy—recalls piling up, sales dipping, and now these lawsuits stacking. As probes go on and the cases proceed, everyone’s eyeing Tesla’s decisions and wondering if they’re really prioritizing safety in their fancy tech rides.
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