The parents of a college student who died in a Tesla crash claim she was trapped inside the vehicle as it caught fire due to a design flaw that made it nearly impossible to open the door. This allegation is part of a lawsuit filed on Thursday.
Krysta Tsukahara’s parents contend that the company, which contributed to Elon Musk becoming the world’s wealthiest individual, was aware of this flaw for years. Despite having the capability to address the issue promptly, they allegedly did not, resulting in the 19-year-old art student becoming trapped in the ensuing fire and smoke that ultimately led to her death.
Tesla did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
This new legal challenge against Tesla, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, comes shortly after federal regulators initiated an investigation into Tesla drivers’ complaints about stuck-door issues. The investigation and lawsuit arise at a critical juncture for the company as it aims to assure Americans of the future safety of its driverless vehicles.
The lawsuit details that Tsukahara was seated in the back of a Cybertruck when a driver, impaired by alcohol and drugs, crashed into a tree in a San Francisco suburb. Of the four occupants, including the driver, three died, while a rescue effort involving breaking a window succeeded in saving the fourth person.
The lawsuit was first reported by The New York Times.
Tesla doors have been the focus of several crash cases because the battery, which powers the unlock system, can become inoperable in a fire. The manual releases designed to override this system are reportedly difficult to locate.
This lawsuit is one of several targeting Tesla over alleged safety concerns. In August, a Florida jury awarded more than $240 million in damages to the family of another college student who died in a previous Tesla incident.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which opened its stuck-door investigation last month, is looking into complaints by drivers that after exiting their cars, they couldn’t open back doors to get their children out and, in some cases, had to break the window to reach them.
___
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
