Overview
- The wrongful-death suit, filed Friday in Dane County, stems from a Nov. 1, 2024 crash in Verona that killed five occupants of a 2016 Model S and names Tesla and driver Barry Sievers as defendants.
- Plaintiffs say the car lost low-voltage power after impact, rendering exterior handles inoperable and leaving occupants unable to access obscured rear-seat emergency releases.
- The complaint alleges earlier Model S battery packs lacked fire-isolating features later added to other Tesla models, contributing to rapid fire spread.
- A Dane County Sheriff’s report found road conditions, excess speed, and impaired driving contributed to the crash cause, separate from the claims about post-crash escape.
- The case adds to lawsuits over alleged entrapment as NHTSA widens its door-operability investigation, and Tesla’s design chief has said a more intuitive handle redesign is in development.