Tesla is facing yet another lawsuit stemming from a tragic accident. This latest case involves a man from Washington state whose wife died in a crash involving their 2018 Model 3. The car reportedly accelerated uncontrollably and crashed into a utility pole, igniting into flames. Rescue workers struggled to open the door, which trapped the couple inside.
A federal complaint filed recently claims that Jeffrey and Wendy Dennis were unable to escape because the car’s electronic steering wheel failed right when the vehicle lost power.
Wendy Dennis passed away at the scene, while her husband Jeff suffered serious burns.
According to the lawsuit, on January 7, 2023, the Model 3 exhibited abnormal acceleration for about five seconds before crashing. It then “suddenly and rapidly accelerated” in a way that was beyond control.
The incident created what the lawsuit described as an “extremely hot fire” that engulfed the cabin and lasted for several hours, making it difficult for bystanders to approach.
Witnesses claimed they could only “watch helplessly from afar as a seriously injured Jeff and Wendy burned in an inferno.”
The lawsuit mentions that the explosion exposed the car’s high-voltage battery pack, which contained “thousands of high-explosive batteries,” complicating efforts to extinguish the fire and restrict access for rescuers.
Legal representatives argue the fire spread too quickly, making it hard for emergency teams to intervene effectively.
Tesla has not responded to inquiries regarding the situation.
Additionally, the complaint calls attention to issues with the car’s acceleration and braking systems, indicating that the automatic emergency braking feature failed despite an imminent collision.
This lawsuit arises amid regulatory scrutiny over whether Tesla’s design can trap occupants during low-voltage outages, particularly following a number of other similar lawsuits regarding fire entrapment.
In a related case in Wisconsin, a lawsuit was filed claiming that a fire in a Model S led to the deaths of at least three people. Witnesses described large flames and loud explosions, with reports of screams emanating from the car.
Emergency services found that the door functioned poorly, leaving passengers with a concealed release mechanism that was hard to locate in the smoke-filled environment. None of the five individuals inside survived.
The Bauer family contends that while the victims managed to survive the initial collision, they perished afterward because Tesla had overlooked warnings for years about the electronic release failing during power outages.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office noted that factors like poor road conditions and erratic driving played a role in the crash.
At the time of the accident, the driver and all passengers had been legally drinking.
In California, another concerning incident involved a Cybertruck that caught fire after crashing, earning a reputation as a “death trap.” In this case, the survivor struggled to escape due to reliance on a broken low-voltage button following the fire.
Rescue efforts were thwarted by the truck’s “armored glass” and stainless-steel doors, and ultimately, the individual died from smoke inhalation and burns.
All three lawsuits charge Tesla with knowing that electric door systems can fail during outages, disregarding warnings from owners, emergency responders, and regulators. They also emphasize that the company underestimated the fire risks tied to lithium-ion batteries.
