06.10.2025 15:20
A 19-year-old college student, Krysta Michelle Tsukahara, lost her life in California after a Tesla Cybertruck crashed into a tree and caught fire. It was reported that the vehicle's doors did not open, and the young woman was trapped inside the vehicle.
In a horrific accident in California, USA, 19-year-old university student Krysta Michelle Tsukahara lost her life when a Tesla Cybertruck crashed into a tree and caught fire.
It was revealed that the young girl was trapped inside the vehicle, the doors did not open, and therefore she could not escape.
After the accident, Krysta's family filed a lawsuit against Tesla. The family claims that the company ignored a design flaw that has been known for years, and this negligence led to their daughter's death.
According to the accident report, Krysta had only sustained minor injuries after the collision. However, shortly after, the vehicle's battery exploded, and the Cybertruck turned into a fireball.
The electric door system was locked due to a malfunction, and the manual exit handle was too hidden to be found in that moment of panic.
The young girl was trapped in the back seat of the vehicle. Amidst the flames, she died in great pain.
Krysta's father, Carl Tsukahara, spoke with great anger and sadness in an interview with The New York Times:
"My daughter could have survived. But she couldn't get out because of the vehicle's design. Finding an emergency handle shouldn't be that difficult. I don't understand how such a mistake can happen in such an expensive vehicle."
The family's lawyer, Roger Dreyer, stated, "This lawsuit was filed not just for money, but to uncover the truth. This vehicle design puts people in danger."
There were three other young people in the vehicle besides Krysta. Soren Dixon (19) was at the wheel.
The only survivor of the accident was Jordan Miller. A witness at the scene managed to break the vehicle's window with a tree branch and pull Miller out.
Tests conducted on driver Dixon's blood revealed high levels of alcohol and cocaine.
The California Highway Patrol stated that the accident occurred due to loss of control caused by excessive speed, alcohol, and drug influence.
This incident is not the first discussion regarding the door design and fire safety of Tesla vehicles.
Last month, in a similar accident in Germany, a Tesla crashed into a tree and caught fire, resulting in three people burning to death because the doors did not open.
Roman Jedrzejewski, an auto painter who witnessed the accident, described his experience with the following words:
"The doors did not open, I tried to intervene with a fire extinguisher, but it didn't work. I wanted to save the kids inside, but there was nothing I could do."
In August, it was decided that the family of another student who died in a Tesla accident in Florida would receive £178 million in compensation.
The family protested: "How can a trillion-dollar company be so unsafe?"
Krysta's family accuses Tesla of not taking responsibility:
"This company's value is a trillion dollars. But even the simplest safety systems do not work. Our daughter's death could have been completely prevented."