Imagine visiting your family for a holiday, a simple trip turning into a nightmare. That’s what happened to 19-year-old Krysta Tsukahara last Thanksgiving weekend. She was in a Tesla Cybertruck when it crashed. The vehicle hit a tree and then, tragically, caught fire. But the real horror began when the doors wouldn’t open.
Krysta, a college student, was visiting her family when the accident happened on November 27 last year. The Cybertruck carried four passengers when it struck a tree and caught fire. This detail comes from a report by the California Highway Patrol. Court papers show what happened next: the fire cut power to the truck’s electric doors. This left everyone inside stuck, with no way to get out.
Now, Krysta Tsukahara’s parents have filed a lawsuit in Alameda County superior court. They believe the Cybertruck’s door handle design is directly to blame for their daughter’s death. It seems a futuristic vehicle, ironically, posed a basic safety risk.
Inside the Cybertruck, if the power dies, getting out of the back doors is tricky. You have to pull a cable. This cable hides under a liner, right below the door’s storage area. That’s what a Bloomberg report says. From the outside, the doors stay locked. The handles are flush with the body. This made it tough for first responders to get inside, The Guardian reported.
Roger Dreyer, the family’s lawyer, spoke plainly about the situation. He stated, “This vehicle’s design failed Krysta. There was no manual function or emergency control she could reach to escape.”
A Preventable Tragedy, Say Parents
The lawsuit pulls no punches. It says Tesla got “repeated and direct warnings.” These warnings told them that relying on electronic door systems created a serious risk of trapping people. The claim goes further. It states that “owners, bystanders, and first responders have written about cases.” In these cases, Tesla occupants survived the crash impact. But they could not escape when electric power failed and a fire started. This pattern suggests a deeper problem than just one isolated incident.
That tragic night, a friend was driving another car behind the Cybertruck. They saw the accident happen, according to various news reports. This friend tried to save the passengers. They broke a window on the truck. But they only managed to pull out one person. Krysta’s parents call her death “preventable.” The lawsuit states Krysta Tsukahara did not get physical trauma from the Cybertruck hitting the tree. Instead, she died from smoke inhalation and burns. These happened because she couldn’t get out of the vehicle.
The Tsukahara family is also suing the estate of the driver, Soren Dixon. He also died in the crash. At the time of the collision, Dixon was under the influence of alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamines. That’s what the Alameda County coroner’s report says.