Tesla Confronted with Wrongful Death Lawsuit Following Fatal Massachusetts Crash
The grieving family of a 20-year-old college student who perished inside his burning Tesla vehicle has initiated a wrongful death lawsuit against the electric automobile manufacturer. Samuel Tremblett allegedly died in October in Easton, Massachusetts, after his car crashed and he became trapped as it ignited into flames.
Mother Files Civil Complaint in US District Court
His mother, Jacquelyn Tremblett, submitted a civil lawsuit on Wednesday in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. According to the legal documents, Samuel managed to call emergency services and conveyed his extreme distress while explaining that he was stuck in a car crash.
I cannot get out, please help me, he stated desperately. I cannot breathe. Tremblett reportedly continued pleading for assistance, acknowledging that he was dying during the harrowing call.
It required approximately four hours to fully extinguish the fire, with law enforcement reporting at least four explosions during the incident, as detailed in court papers. Tremblett was unable to exit his 2021 Tesla Model Y and sustained catastrophic thermal injuries and smoke inhalation injuries that caused his death, according to the formal complaint.
Details of the Early Morning Crash and Alleged Defects
Based on his mother's lawsuit, Tremblett was driving the Tesla alone on the northbound lane of Turnpike Street around 1 a.m. on October 21. After entering Easton from the neighboring town of Raynham, his vehicle left its lane of travel, crossed the southbound lane, and collided with a tree.
Tremblett survived the initial impact, but his car immediately erupted into flames. He was trapped inside when this occurred. As a result of the defective and unreasonably dangerous electronic system for operating the door handles, which was designed, manufactured and sold by Tesla, Samuel Tremblett was unable to exit the vehicle, the complaint explicitly asserts.
Tremblett contacted an emergency dispatcher shortly after the crash, but it was tragically too late. The Easton Police Department could not suppress the fire due to its severity, per the suit. A police report attached to the complaint indicated the Tesla was not fully extinguished and minimally smoking until 4:30 a.m.
Allegations Against Tesla's Safety Claims and Door Handle Design
The wrongful death claim alleges that Tesla's electric door handles do not extend in the event of an electrical system failure, for instance, during a crash. Tremblett's family accuses the corporation of making numerous public statements misrepresenting the company's emphasis on safety in order to induce the public to believe that its vehicles were safe and reliable.
The complaint references remarks made by Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a first-quarter earnings call. We here at Tesla, we are absolutely hardcore about safety, Musk was quoted as saying. You know, we go to great lengths to make the safest car in the world and have the lowest accidents per mile.
Tremblett's mother also contends that Musk refused to approve a safe, alternative design after engineers warned him that electric doors constituted a serious safety hazard. The lawsuit enumerates seventeen other reports from 2016 to 2025 of Tesla passengers becoming trapped in their cars following collisions.
Family Seeks Justice and Remembers a Creative Young Man
Jacquelyn Tremblett has requested a jury trial, according to her complaint. She is seeking actual damages, treble damages, interest, and legal costs. How could Tesla keep selling vehicles that they know trap people inside their cars after a crash? Jacquelyn expressed to People magazine.
They could have fixed it, but they refused. Now my son is dead after suffering unmercifully. The people who did this must face consequences and the public needs to know how dangerous Tesla vehicles are in a crash, she added emphatically.
A public obituary for Tremblett commemorated him as a creative and driven young man who was full of life and energy. He was a student at Syracuse University, majoring in design studies. Samuel cared deeply for his friends and was known for his kind heart, loyalty, and genuine nature, the obituary read.
He is survived by his mother Jacquelyn, father David, and brother Tristan. Tremblett's life was remembered as far too short but filled with creativity, love, and light. His family and friends will remember his bright smile, adventurous spirit, and the warmth he brought to every moment, the obituary poignantly noted.
