In another testament to the safety of Tesla vehicles, the driver of a Model 3 was able to walk away from a crash so violent it sent the batteries flying into nearby houses.
The crash occurred late yesterday, November 17 in Corvallis, Oregon. According to the Corvallis Police Department, a 2019 Model 3 (not Model S as noted in the press release) was driving at approximately 100mph (160km/h) when the driver lost control of the vehicle.
After leaving the road and travelling more than 300 feet, the Tesla finally came to a rest after “shearing a power pole off at the base as well as striking and knocking over two trees and a telephone junction box.”
The accident was so violent, the Model 3 was barely recognizable with the roof sheared off, the rear end almost completely severed, and doors and even some of the battery cells missing. The force of the crash sent many of the cells into nearby homes, with one of them even landing in the lap of an occupant inside. Another landed on a bed, setting the bed sheets on fire.
Batteries weren’t the only thing missing from the car, as a tire came off the vehicle during the crash causing major damage to a nearby apartment building.
“A tire was ripped from the car during the collision and struck the second story siding of a nearby apartment complex with such force that it ruptured the water pipes within the wall, destroying the bathroom to the apartment and flooding the downstairs portion of the apartment as well.”
Miraculously, despite the extent of the damage to the Model 3, the driver was able to flee the scene of the accident on foot. The suspect, Dylan Milota of Corvallis, was found later with only minor injuries. According to police, Milota was impaired by marijuana, and cited for DUI – Drugs, Hit and Run, Criminal Mischief 2, Reckless Driving and Reckless Endangering.
Authorities were able to collect as many cells as they could find, but are warning nearby residents to check their properties for more. If one is found, residents are being asked to not touch the battery cells and contact the Corvallis Regional Communication Center at 541-766-6914
h/t: The Kilowatts
Editor’s note: The original version of this article stated Corvallis is in California, when it is in Oregon. This has been corrected.
