Tesla is facing a wrongful death lawsuit in Texas after a man was killed when his Cybertruck erupted into flames so intense that investigators said his bones disintegrated from the heat.
According to The New York Post, Michael Sheehan, a 47-year-old nurse from Beach City, had purchased the stainless-steel pickup just months before the crash. On August 3, 2024, his truck veered off the road and struck a culvert east of Houston.
What might have been a survivable accident, court documents argue, turned fatal when the vehicle’s battery system went into what experts call “thermal runaway.” The resulting blaze is said to have reached temperatures above 5,000 degrees, leaving Sheehan trapped inside.
His widow, Shannon, along with his parents, filed the lawsuit this year in June. Their attorney, S. Scott West, said the truck’s design made escape nearly impossible.
“Not only are you riding on top of 3,000 pounds of batteries, this ‘spaceship’ design is a double-edged sword,” West said. He explained that the truck’s electronic doors stop working when power is cut, while the manual latches inside are difficult to find during an emergency.
The complaint also highlights Tesla’s lack of clear instructions for owners on how to exit after a crash. “Michael was a Mensa-level guy, very, very smart,” West said, adding that even someone highly intelligent would have struggled in such conditions.
Court filings further describe the Cybertruck’s lithium-ion system as “hyper volatile,” warning that it can spiral into uncontrollable combustion. The family contends that Tesla prioritized aesthetics over basic safety, selling a vehicle that turned into a “firetrap” once the batteries failed.
The lawsuit doesn’t stop with Tesla. It also names 3180 Bar, LLC, operating as The Barn Whiskey Bar, where Sheehan had reportedly been drinking earlier that night.
Attorneys argue he was overserved and not given safe alternatives, though they stress that alcohol should not have condemned him to such a gruesome death.
Sheehan’s death was the first linked to the Cybertruck since its 2023 launch, but not the last. Since then, multiple fiery crashes have been reported, including one involving USC basketball recruit Alijah Arenas, son of embattled NBA player Gilbert Arenas.
Tesla has issued at least eight recalls on the model since its release.
Neither Tesla nor The Barn Whiskey Bar has commented on the pending litigation.