Houston-area family sues Tesla over deadly Cybertruck inferno

Driving the news: The lawsuit, filed June 13 in Harris County, alleges Michael Sheehan was driving his Cybertruck near Beach City, about 30 miles east of Houston, when his vehicle left the roadway and flipped into a ditch in August 2024.

Zoom in: The family says the crash was survivable but that Sheehan died when the truck's batteries ignited and he became trapped in the mangled wreckage.

• The lawsuit points to Tesla's battery design and energy-absorbing features when the truck is involved in a crash. Attorneys also allege Sheehan was unable to open the doors from the inside once power was lost and that the outdoor handles didn't open properly.
• Plus, they say "alternate interior door handles are unreasonably difficult to locate in an emergency."
• The lawsuit is also against a nearby bar in Mont Belvieu that the family alleges overserved Sheehan prior to the crash.

The other side: Tesla has not formally responded to the lawsuit and did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Axios.

Zoom out: Months after Sheehan's death, three California teens died when they crashed in a Cybertruck and it caught fire. The family of one victim is suing the driver and owner of the car, but not Tesla.

What's next: The Harris County case has yet to be set for trial.

• The family is seeking more than $1 million.