Cybertruck Crash: Door Issue Hindered Rescue

A witness report from a fatal Cybertruck crash in Piedmont reveals a harrowing detail: a rescuer couldn’t open the vehicle’s doors to save trapped victims.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) report details the November 2024 incident where three college students tragically died after their Cybertruck collided with a wall and caught fire.

While the report doesn’t definitively state that the doors were the primary cause of the failed rescue, it raises concerns about potential safety issues with the vehicle’s design, echoing previous warnings from automotive engineering experts.

According to the CHP report, the driver, Soren Dixon, 19, lost control of the Cybertruck while speeding on Hampton Road. The vehicle crashed into a retaining wall, becoming wedged between the wall and a tree. Passengers Jack Nelson, 20, and Krysta Tsukahara, 19, also died in the fire.

Matt Riordan, a friend of the victims, arrived at the scene shortly after the crash and desperately tried to help. He found the front door “mangled” and impossible to open. Attempts to use the electronic door buttons were also unsuccessful.

Riordan managed to break a window and pull one passenger, Jordan Miller, to safety. However, the intense flames prevented him from reaching Nelson and Tsukahara, who were trapped in the back.

The reason for the door malfunction remains under investigation. Structural damage from the crash may have been a factor. The CHP’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) is preparing a supplemental report to determine the cause of the accident.

Adam Cook, a car engineer, highlights a potential design flaw in electric vehicles like the Cybertruck, where doors rely on electronic power to release latches. If power is lost in a crash, the doors may become inoperable.

Cook also notes that Cybertruck emergency pull cords are in difficult-to-reach locations. He suggests that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigate the incident.

This incident isn’t the first time Cybertruck safety has been questioned. Experts have raised concerns about various aspects of its design, including its accelerator, suspension, and collision performance. Tesla recently recalled Cybertrucks due to a potential pedal assembly issue.

Keywords: Cybertruck, crash, safety, Tesla, accident, Piedmont, California Highway Patrol, electric vehicles, door malfunction, NTSB, recall.