A Fatal Crash Near Tacoma
A new lawsuit alleges that Tesla’s electronic door handle design contributed to a death following a crash near Tacoma, Washington, last January. According to the complaint, a Model 3 struck a pole and caught fire with Jeffery and Wendy Dennis inside. Wendy Dennis died in the crash, and Jeffery Dennis survived with serious injuries. These are allegations made in a civil lawsuit and have not been proven in court.
Bystanders Reportedly Unable to Open the Doors
According to the lawsuit, bystanders attempted to help the couple escape the burning vehicle but were unable to open the doors after the vehicle lost power, since the Model 3’s flush-mounted electronic handles rely on electrical function to release. The suit alleges Tesla was aware of this vulnerability in advance and that the design left occupants with no reliable manual way to escape once the battery was compromised.
Part of a Broader Pattern, According to the Complaint
The lawsuit references similar allegations in other cases, including incidents in Wisconsin, California, and Virginia, where door handles reportedly failed to function as intended during emergencies, and manual releases were said to be difficult for occupants or rescuers to locate under stress. Federal regulators at NHTSA have also opened an inquiry into Tesla’s door handle design, and some international regulators are reportedly reviewing similar hidden-handle designs across the industry.
Other Automakers Named Too, but Tesla Draws the Most Scrutiny
The complaint notes that Ford and Volkswagen have faced their own separate door-related complaints, though Tesla has become the primary focus of regulatory and legal attention on this issue. The broader concern raised in the lawsuit centers on a gap in vehicle safety testing: standard crash tests evaluate occupant survivability during impact but don’t necessarily account for whether occupants can exit the vehicle afterward, particularly during a fire or total power loss.
What’s Next
The lawsuit, filed nearly three years after the crash, adds to the scrutiny Tesla has faced over its door handle design and battery fire response. As with any pending civil case, the allegations remain unproven, and Tesla has not yet publicly responded to this specific lawsuit.