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The First Person Ever To Die In a Tesla Is a Guy Who Stole One

Posted by Soulskill on from the marketed-as-a-thief-termination-feature dept.

mrspoonsi sends this news from The Verge: Elon Musk can no longer say that no one's ever died in a Tesla automobile crash. But few people will be pointing fingers at the electric car maker for this senseless tragedy. Earlier this month, 26-year-old Joshua Slot managed to successfully ride off with a Model S he'd stolen from a Tesla service center in Los Angeles, but police quickly spotted the luxury vehicle and gave chase. According to Park Labrea News, the high-speed pursuit was eventually called off after officers were involved in a fender bender of their own, leaving the police department strained for resources and without any feasible way of catching up to Slot. Reports claim he was traveling at speeds of "nearly 100 mph," but losing the police tail apparently didn't convince Slot to hit the brakes. Instead he sped on, eventually colliding with three other vehicles and a pair of street poles. The final impact was severe enough to "split the Tesla in half" and eject Slot from the car's remains. The Tesla's front section wound up in the middle of the road and caught fire. Its rear portion flew through the air with such force that it slammed into the side of a local Jewish community center and became wedged there.

19 of 443 comments (clear)

  1. Died Outside a Tesla by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Considering he was thrown from the vehicle (likely from not wearing a seatbelt) I'm not sure you could say he died 'in' a Tesla.

    1. Re:Died Outside a Tesla by Jarik+C-Bol · · Score: 5, Funny

      Died "near" a Tesla.

      --
      I've decided to Diversify my Holdings. I've divided my cash between my left and right pockets, instead of all in one.
    2. Re:Died Outside a Tesla by Gr33nJ3ll0 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wouldn't this apply to all Tesla owners?

    3. Re:Died Outside a Tesla by CanHasDIY · · Score: 5, Funny

      Lol, you are technically correct.

      The best kind of correct.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    4. Re:Died Outside a Tesla by mythosaz · · Score: 5, Funny

      As there have only been 100 billion humans ever on the planet, 7% of us are still alive, making being human only 93% lethal.

      I suspect the number of Tesla owners versus dead Tesla owners demonstrates them to be nearly immortal.

    5. Re: Died Outside a Tesla by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 4, Funny

      So Tesla's anti-theft system is 100% lethal?

    6. Re:Died Outside a Tesla by sneakyimp · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yeah! Just more proof that electric cars will never catch on in the United States.

  2. another tesla fire by Noah+Haders · · Score: 5, Funny

    from summary: The Tesla's front section wound up in the middle of the road and caught fire.

    Yup, another tesla fire.

  3. Caught Fire. AGAIN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    See??? These cars are unsafe!

  4. Anti-Theft by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sounds like an anti-theft feature.

  5. Great Story! by rullywowr · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, that was an electrifying story! I really got a charge out of it.

    1. Re:Great Story! by DJCouchyCouch · · Score: 1, Funny

      I'm shocked, SHOCKED, at your use of puns.

  6. Re:first death by i+kan+reed · · Score: 2, Funny

    Make it another 10, please.

  7. Unsafe at any speed (above 100 MPH)... by Rone · · Score: 5, Funny

    So at times the Tesla was being driven at speeds up to 100 MPH, collided with three cars and two utility poles along the way, and eventually suffered an impact that split the car in two, immolating the front half and embedding the back half within a nearby building.

    Can't people see how dangerous and unsafe these vehicles are?!?

    If something as trivial as multiple high-speed impacts can lead to driver fatality, imagine what could happen in a REALLY serious accident!

  8. Re:Ejected from car -- seatbelt? by Dins · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...be sure you buckle up! You can't expect Elon Musk to do it for you.

    Don't give anybody any ideas!

  9. Died Outside a Tesla by slashdice · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess they can also charge him with "leaving the scene of a crime"

    --
    Copyright (c) 1990 - 2014 Dice. All rights reserved. Use of this comment is subject to certain Terms and Conditions.
  10. Re:Thrown from the vehicle by Nonac · · Score: 5, Funny

    There have been two deaths resulting from a Tesla crash.

  11. Re:Jews? by Vinegar+Joe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Or Israel will retaliate by bombing Los Angeles.

    I'm trying to see the downside.

    --
    "The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
  12. Re:Hi speed chase, hum? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Which innocent person died in this case? The criminal killed himself. No one else died.