Three dead, one injured in Tesla Cybertruck crash in California

A collision involving a Tesla Cybertruck in Northern California has claimed the lives of three people and left one seriously injured, according to officials. The vehicle caught fire after the crash.

The single-vehicle collision occurred at 3:08 a.m. on Wednesday morning when an iPhone notified Piedmont police of an incident, according to Police Chief Jeremy Bowers. Officers arrived at the scene two minutes later to find a Tesla Cybertruck engulfed in flames following the crash.

A passerby, believed to have attended the same event as the victims, was seeing pulling one of the occupants from the burning vehicle as officers arrived.

Officers tried to extinguish the fire using portable extinguishers but were unable to contain the intense flames. The Piedmont Fire Department arrived at 3:16 a.m. and was able to put out the fire.

The collision resulted in three fatalities, while one individual was transported to a hospital with serious injuries.

“Speed was likely a contributing factor in this collision,” Chief Bowers stated.

Chief Brannigan, of Piedmont’s Fire Department, stated that the fire “appears to be subsequent to the collision”. Brannigan also stated that “we don’t think the lithium batteries of the car were on fire, but that’s going to be determined as part of the investigation.”

While police have not yet released the identities of the victims, a woman close to the survivor’s family told KRON4 that all four occupants were friends and 2023 graduates of Piedmont High School. They were reportedly returning to the Bay Area from college for the holiday season.