Tesla Driver Dead After Plowing Into Parked Fire Truck Working Earlier Accident

The driver of a Tesla was killed early Saturday and a passenger was critically injured when the Model S in which they were riding collided with a fire truck. The truck had been parked on I-680, the East Bay Freeway, in…

IJR SyndicatedFeb 19, 20232 min read

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Contra Costa County Fire Captain Chris DeMeo said the impact was “very jolting. It didn’t feel like it was real. All my equipment went forward,” according to KGO-TV.

Parts of the car skidded under the fire truck, he said. Firefighters responded by trying to save the occupants of the Tesla.

“We’re trying to cut these people out and save victims,” DeMeo said.

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“The thing is I’m proud of my guys. Just as much as we were in an accident, they all jumped in and starting doing their job, go, go, go,” he said.

DeMeo said during the attempted rescue, another car narrowly missed hitting the Firefighters.

DeMeo said four Firefighters were treated for lower back pain, and one suffered a cut on a hand.

California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Lane said it was not known whether the Tesla was operating under an assist or self-driving mode, according to KNTV.

Due to a spate of collisions, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the Tesla autopilot system’s ability to deal with emergency vehicles parked on roadways.

On Thursday, Tesla recalled nearly 363,000 vehicles due to possible issues with the “Full Self-Driving” mode. Model S vehicles from 2016 through 2023 were included in that recall.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.