Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora, LLP has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of Krysta Tsukahara, following the tragic crash of a Tesla Cybertruck that killed three young passengers, including 19-year-old Krysta, in Piedmont, California. The lawsuit has generated national media attention as the family pursues long-awaited answers about the events leading up to the crash and what may have gone wrong inside the vehicle.
Filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the complaint names the estate of the teenage driver, who also died in the crash, as well as the owner of the Cybertruck, as defendants.
As Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora, LLP Partner Roger Dreyer told ABC 7 News, the goal is to secure critical evidence, such as crash data, vehicle logs, and software information, that may help explain how the incident occurred and why Krysta was unable to escape.
“The lawsuit is against the driver, his estate, and the owner of the vehicle, of the Cybertruck,” Dreyer said. “The lawsuit is to give us some traction in getting answers for the family. The vehicles are engineered such that they have lots of data and information inside of them that will recount what happened before and during the crash.”
Krysta was seated in the back right passenger seat when the crash occurred during Thanksgiving break in 2024. While not critically injured on impact, she was tragically trapped inside the vehicle as it caught fire. According to the lawsuit, the doors would not open, leaving her unable to escape.
“Krysta was in the back rear seat on the right-hand side. The door didn’t work. She couldn’t get out. You know she was trying desperately to get out,” Dreyer told NBC Bay Area. “What went wrong with that vehicle that prevented her from being able to exit it?”
Toxicology reports released after the crash showed that all the teens in the vehicle, including the driver, had alcohol and drugs in their systems. The lawsuit raises serious questions about how the teens accessed the substances and whether there were lapses in supervision that contributed to the tragedy.
“Clearly Mr. Dixon was severely intoxicated on drugs,” Dreyer said. “Legally, his parents are not responsible for his conduct, because he is driving the car, not the parents. But the issue is how he got into the condition he was in before. That is the issue, and we can’t get that answer absent following this lawsuit.”
“Our clients don’t want to speculate as to who is to blame. They want answers and additional information in order to see who is accountable for this tragedy and who played a role in their daughter’s death.”
The case also highlights serious concerns about Tesla’s Cybertruck, including the integrity of its fire response and door mechanisms. As alleged in the complaint, Krysta’s death wasn’t caused by the initial impact but by her inability to escape the burning vehicle.
“This young woman suffered the most horrifying death one could imagine,” Dreyer said. “Her death was caused by her inability to get out of the car and being consumed in the fire that engulfed the vehicle.”
The Tsukahara family said they turned to litigation as a last resort after efforts to obtain information informally went unanswered. Speaking with CBS News, Dreyer noted their lingering questions: “How is it that Mr. Patterson’s vehicle is in the hands of Mr. Dixon? They’ve been constantly searching for answers, but have been ignored.”
As the lawsuit moves into discovery, our team at Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora, LLP will continue pursuing access to the Cybertruck’s internal systems and records.
“Once it’s served on the defendants, then we start what’s called discovery. That’s going to take probably months to get accomplished in reality,” Dreyer explained.
The case has garnered extensive media coverage, including reporting by.
- ABC 7 San Francisco
- NBC Bay Area
- East Bay Times
- KTVU FOX 2
- San Francisco Chronicle
- Bloomberg
- KRON 4
- CBS News
- The San Francisco Standard
- Yahoo News
- Patch
As this case develops, Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora, LLP will continue advocating for the Tsukahara family in their pursuit of truth, accountability, and public safety.
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