3 teens dead, 1 person seriously injured in California Cybertruck crash
Three teens were killed and another person was seriously injured when their Tesla Cybertruck crashed Wednesday in Piedmont, California, according to police and local media reports.
Just after 3 a.m., police received a collision alert from an iPhone, which provided police with the location of the crash, according to Piedmont Police Department Chief Jeremy Bowers. Shortly after, someone called 911 to report a crash.
"Officers arrived on scene to find a single-vehicle collision fully engulfed in flames," Bowers said at a press conference Wednesday.
Another motorist was able to pull one person from the Cybertruck, Bowers said. The unidentified person was listed in stable condition as of Saturday evening, according to city officials.
The victims were identified Saturday by city officials as Soren Dixon, Jack Nelson and Krysta Tsukahara. The victims were teenage college students, according to ABC affiliate KGO.
The victims' family members released statements expressing their sorrow and asking for privacy.
"He accepted challenges readily, whether in academics or on the athletic field—he was an ambitious, dedicated student and a team player in sports and in life. He will always be in our hearts and in the hearts of all who were fortunate to know him," Dixon's family said in a statement.
"Jack will always be a part of our family. While his time was far too short, we take comfort in knowing that his memory will carry on for all that knew him," Nelson's family said in a statement.
"She was known for her kind and sensitive heart, love for her family and friends, and for her incredible eye for style and design," the family of Tsukahara, a student at Savannah College of Art and Design, said in a statement.
City officials also echoed the calls for privacy as investigators continue to probe the incident.
Officers attempted to extinguish the flames, but the fire was too intense for the extinguishers to be effective, police said.
The Piedmont Fire Department responded and was ultimately able to extinguish the flames, according to Bowers.
Police believe it is possible the people involved in the crash were at a function together before the incident.
There is no evidence that a mechanical issue with the electric truck caused the crash, police said.
Speed was a factor in the collision, but there were other factors that likely contributed to the deadly crash, Bowers said.
The Piedmont Police Department is investigating along with the California Highway Patrol.
