MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA (March 23, 2018) – Wei Huang, 38-years-old and San Mateo resident, was tragically killed in a fiery crash on Highway 101. (map)
At 9:30 a.m., Huang was driving at freeway speeds in his Tesla Model X southbound on Highway 101. The vehicle struck the middle barrier that separated the Highway 85 carpool flyover lane from the southbound Highway 101. The vehicle went airborne and landed in the second-most left lane. It was consequently struck by a white Mazda, then again by a gray Audi that was traveling in the adjacent lane.
Huang was immediately transported to Stanford Hospital, but succumbed to his fatal injuries and tragically died. When Mountain View emergency and fire crews arrived on the scene, they found that the front end of the Tesla was a complete wreck. Most notable, our sources indicate that the vehicle’s lithium ion battery was exposed. This would cause it to catch fire and possibly explode.
Initial sources indicate that a safety barrier, which is meant to reduce the impact into a concrete lane driver, had been removed or crushed in a prior crash without being replaced. This may have contributed to the extensive damage that the Tesla Model X sustained in the deadly crash.
The National Transpiration Safety Board is currently investigating the fatal crash and the emergency response from the fire department. They are currently examining the charred remains of the vehicle to determine why the vehicle had burst into flames. It unknown at the time whether the fire ignited due to an issue involving a battery. It is also unclear at the time whether the Tesla’s automated control system was active at the time of the crash.
The news of the latest investigation seemed to catalyze a tumble in the Tesla stock on Wall street with the stock sliding down by 8%. Electric cars are increasingly common on roadways and it is crucial that the necessary precautions be take. That includes the need for a strategic safety protocol for emergency and fire crews to follow in case a scenario similar to this tragic accident were to happen again.
The Palo Alto, California company is under renewed scrutiny by the government. In January, the NTSB investigated a Tesla Model S electric vehicle that may have been operating under the Autopilot system. HWG Law will continue to update this article as more information becomes available.
“The prayers of everyone at HWG Law Firm are with the families and friends of those killed and injured in this horrible accident. We hope those injured in the accident make a full recovery, and we hope the families of those killed able to find some answers,” said the attorneys from HWG Law Firm. Call us today at (877) 541-2111. We are here to help you.
