The parents of a 19-year-old college student killed in a Tesla Cybertruck crash last November are suing the electric carmaker, alleging the vehicle's door handle design prevented escape from the fire. Krysta Tsukahara died in Piedmont, California, on 27 November 2024, when the Cybertruck hit a tree at high speed and caught fire.
The lawsuit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, claims that when the fire cut power to the truck's electric doors, all four passengers were locked inside. From the rear seats, the only manual release is a cable under a storage compartment liner, which the suit argues is inaccessible in an emergency. Rescue workers also struggled to open the flush exterior handles.
“The design of this vehicle failed Krysta,” said attorney Roger Dreyer. “There was no functioning, accessible manual override or emergency release for her to escape.” The family's statement said she was alive after the crash and called for help but could not get out. The coroner reported she died of smoke inhalation and burns, not trauma from the collision.
Tsukahara's family is also suing the estate of the driver, Soren Dixon, who was under the influence of alcohol, cocaine and amphetamines at the time. A friend in another vehicle broke a window and rescued one passenger but could not save Tsukahara. The Cybertruck has received eight recalls since its launch and is under investigation by US safety regulators over its door design.
