Dayton, NV — Tesla Semi involved in fatal crash on US 50 kills two, injures one.
Two people were killed and another sustained life-threatening injuries after a Tesla Semi rear-ended two vehicles at a red light on US 50 in Dayton, Nevada, on Sunday morning.
The collision involved a classic VW Beetle and a Toyota RAV4, both of which were stopped when the Tesla struck them from behind. According to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, a married couple was pronounced dead at the scene, while the third individual was airlifted to a local hospital.
Authorities reported that both directions of US 50 were closed for several hours while debris was cleared. Photographs from the scene depict the severely damaged Beetle next to the Tesla, which showed signs of front-end damage, while the RAV4 had a crumpled rear end.
The incident is under investigation by the Nevada State Police. Preliminary information suggests the driver of the Semi may have fallen asleep, although officials have yet to confirm this.
The Tesla Semi, which lacks the Full Self-Driving system, features safety technologies such as autonomous emergency braking, designed to mitigate accidents. The driver’s and operator’s identities remain undisclosed.