Parents sue Tesla over Cybertruck door design in fatal Piedmont crash

The parents of a 19 year old college student have sued Tesla, alleging a design defect in the Cybertruck's doors prevented their daughter from escaping after the vehicle struck a tree and caught fire in Piedmont, California, on November 27, 2024. The suit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court on October 2, says Krysta Tsukahara was trapped in the rear seat as the truck’s battery ignited and she died of burns and smoke inhalation after being unable to operate the manual door release.

According to the complaint, the Cybertruck was traveling at high speed when it collided with a tree. The driver, 19 year old Soren Dixon, and a rear-seat passenger, 20 year old Jack Nelson, died in the crash. A fourth passenger was rescued by a friend who broke a window and pulled that person out. The suit says Tsukahara survived the initial impact but was unable to escape once the electric door mechanisms lost power. Toxicology testing cited by the family showed the driver had alcohol and drugs in his system.

The lawsuit describes how the Cybertruck’s electrically powered doors are intended to be overridden only by a manual release that, from the interior rear seat, requires lifting a rubber mat...