PIEDMONT, Cali. (KRON) – Three high school graduates are dead after a Tesla Cybertruck crashed outside Oakland, California, last week.
On Wednesday morning, a Cybertruck reportedly skidded off the slopes of Piedmont, crashed into a tree, and exploded. One person was ejected from the vehicle by the occupant of the vehicle behind them, according to Piedmont Police Chief Jeremy Bowers.
The authorities were alerted to the crash with an iPhone inside the Cybertruck alerting the attackers, as well as neighbors who saw flames rising from the vehicle.
A vigil was held in Piedmont to honor the victims of the Cybertruck accident
Within minutes, emergency personnel arrived at the scene and used fire extinguishers to fight the flames. The fire was “too severe to put out,” according to Bowers. The Piedmont Fire Department was able to extinguish the flames a short time later.
The three teenagers – later identified as Soren Dixon, Jack Nelson, and Krysta Tsukahara by the City of Piedmont – were pronounced dead at the scene. The person who was pulled from the Cybertruck suffered burns and was taken to an area hospital in critical condition but has not been identified. Their status is currently unknown.
Hundreds gathered in Piedmont on Friday night for a memorial service for the victims.
“I am impressed with how our small community has come to comfort these families, and each other, during this time of unimaginable loss,” said Piedmont Mayor Jen Cavenaugh. “The outpouring of support shown at the Turkey Trot on Friday night has been overwhelming. Now, we must respect the wishes of the families of the victims to mourn in private.”
The city shared photos of the victims seen below.
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Photo by Soren Dixon
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Photo by Jack Nelson
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Photo by Krysta Tsukahara
In a statement released by Dixon’s family, he was described as known for his “infectious smile” and his love for family and friends.
Nelson’s family, in a statement, said he was “full of life and made a lasting impact on people through his kindness and joy.”
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The family of Tsukahara, a sophomore at Savannah College of Art and Design, said in a statement that she will be remembered for her “kind and compassionate heart.”
Neighbors and friends said the group had left college on vacation to visit their families.
Bowers previously stated that it is believed that all four people in the Cybertruck, as well as the occupants of the vehicle behind them, may have been at the same event prior to the incident. He did not explain what might have happened at the game but said the authorities did not deny that drugs or alcohol were involved.
Piedmont Police and the California Highway Patrol are investigating the crash. Speed was a factor, Bowers said last week.
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