A horrific crash in Easton last October that claimed the life of a 20-year-old man has led to a wrongful death lawsuit against electric vehicle giant Tesla, with his family’s attorney alleging a major design flaw prevented him from escaping the flames.
Samuel Tremblett was driving home on Route 138 in the early morning hours of Oct. 29 when his 2021 Tesla Model Y went off the road, hit a tree, and burst into flames.
According to attorney Andy Nebenzahl of the Nebenzahl Law Group, Tremblett survived the initial impact but was trapped inside as the vehicle’s electrical system failed.
Attorney Andy Nebenzahl of the Nebenzahl Law Group spoke with NBC 10’s Ryan Medeiros. (WJAR)
“He did not succumb by the collision,” Nebenzahl said. “He burned to death in the back seat because he couldn’t get out.”
The lawsuit alleges that the vehicle’s 12-volt battery, which controls all internal electricity, failed during the collision, rendering the electronic door handles inoperable.
“How many people are going to have to die before Tesla gets the message,” he said. “I would not want to hear of another family that will have to go through what the Tremblett family is going through.”
While Tesla has long marketed its vehicles as some of the safest on the market, the lawsuit claims a critical flaw exists in emergency situations.
Model Y vehicles are equipped with manual emergency handles for cases of battery failure, but the legal filing argues these are located in “inconspicuous” areas without clear “emergency exit” markings.
When asked about the responsibility of Tesla owners to be familiar with their vehicle’s safety measures, Nebenzahl noted that not all drivers have been briefed on these risks.
“That’s a fair point, but you have to understand the implications of leaving it to a Tesla owner, particularly somebody like Sam who bought the car used,” Nebenzahl said.
Tremblett tried to call 911 after the crash, but first responders could not reach him in time.
“Sam was a wonderful kid, he was extremely talented, he was loved by the people that knew him, he would help anybody who needed it,” he said.
Tesla officials did not respond to requests for comment. The company now has three weeks to file a formal response or a motion to dismiss in federal court.
