A tragic Tesla Cybertruck crash in California last November that killed three college students has led to a lawsuit accusing the automaker of a fatal design flaw — a door system that trapped passengers inside the burning vehicle.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the accident occurred on November 27 in Piedmont, California, when 19-year-old driver Soren Dixon lost control of his Cybertruck, crashing into a retaining wall and a tree before the vehicle burst into flames. The crash killed Dixon, 20-year-old Jack Nelson, and 19-year-old Krysta Tsukahara. A fourth passenger, Jordan Miller, survived after a passerby smashed the windshield with a tree branch to pull him out.
Tsukahara’s parents, Carl and Noelle Tsukahara, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court, claiming their daughter was conscious after the collision but became trapped inside because the Cybertruck’s electronic door release failed when power was cut. The suit alleges Tesla knew for years about the issue but never fixed it.
The complaint says the truck’s doors rely on a 12-volt battery that can become disabled in a crash, making the manual release difficult to locate and lacking a clear emergency escape option. Attorney Roger Dreyer condemned Tesla’s design, saying, “This is a horror story. Tesla knew this could happen yet sold a vehicle that traps people inside without a reliable way out.”
The parents of Jack Nelson have also filed a separate wrongful death suit seeking punitive damages, citing over 30 public cases of Tesla door malfunctions. Both lawsuits accuse Tesla of “willful neglect” of consumer safety, calling the Cybertruck’s button-operated, handle-free design a dangerous flaw when power is lost.
The California Highway Patrol investigation found that all four victims had alcohol and cocaine in their systems, and speeding plus intoxicated driving contributed to the crash. However, Tsukahara’s family argues Tesla still bears responsibility for creating a vehicle that became a “sealed death trap.”
Since its launch in late 2023, the Cybertruck has faced multiple recalls and slowing sales, while the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently opened an investigation into Tesla door lock failures following reports that Model Y drivers were unable to open doors — forcing some parents to break windows to rescue trapped children.
