PIEDMONT, Calif. -Three people were killed and one was rushed to the hospital in a catastrophic Cybertruck crash in Piedmont on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.
Two sources tell KTVU that all four were Piedmont High School graduates in 2023. Two of the dead were men, while the third was a woman.
A continuous stream of well-wishers, friends, and residents came to pay their condolences at the crash scene on Wednesday. Many others were in tears as they hugged and comforted one another.
Stacy Martin burst into tears at the scene when she heard about the victims, some of whom she had taught in middle school and one in elementary school.
“So horrible,” Martin exclaimed. “They all have wonderful families.”
She went on to say, “Knowing them only makes things worse. But I can’t image what it’s like for their parents and siblings,” she remarked, crying.
Police Chief Jeremy Bowers did not immediately provide any information on the victims.
However, he did describe what occurred beginning at 3:08 a.m., when police were first told of the terrible situation.
When cops arrived at Hampton Road and King Avenue, they discovered a Cybertruck engulfed in flames.
According to Bowers, rescue crews attempted to put out the fire using extinguishers, but the flames were too intense.
It’s unclear what occurred to the Cybertruck or what it collided with, but Bowers said speed was a contributing issue. The Cybertruck became jammed between a tree and a retaining wall.
Bowers stated that a young man had been following the Cybertruck – it was unknown what his relationship was to the four individuals in the automobile – and that when it went off the road, he stepped out of his car to help one of them out.
Bowers said the man was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, and the other three were pronounced dead.
Bowers speculated that the young man and the four people in the Cybertruck may have attended a previous event together.
“The solo vehicle that was involved in the crash, there was another vehicle that came after it, that was following behind and came upon the vehicle as it was fully engulfed,” says Bowers. “The individual exited the car and was able to pull the person out, but the nature of the vehicle was a Cybertruck and the heat was just too intense.”
A short time later, two adults approached and hugged the young man, who appeared to be in his twenties.
Piedmont police, firefighters, and the California Highway Patrol were all on the site. The CHP examines all fatal crashes in Piedmont.
No other information was immediately provided. Bowers did not provide any victim information out of respect for their families.
“This is just a tragic loss of life,” Bowers added. “We don’t know the cause of the collision and during the holiday season, our hearts go out to the families that are going to have to deal with this tragedy.”