An electric Tesla Semi truck was involved in a fatal collision over the weekend in Dayton, Nevada, killing two individuals and marking the first recorded crash for the Class 8 vehicle. The incident has prompted questions regarding the truck’s safety features as authorities investigate.
The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office reported responding to a major collision around 7 a.m. on Sunday. The accident occurred at the intersection of Highway 50 and Traditions Parkway, approximately 40 miles east of Reno. Footage from the scene confirmed the involvement of a Tesla Semi.
The victims of the crash were identified by The Record-Courier as Sergio and Jennifer Villanueva, a couple who had married in 2022. Preliminary statements gathered at the scene suggest the truck driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, according to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office.
The Tesla Semi, an electric Class 8 truck, is currently being manufactured by Tesla in Nevada, with plans for increased production. The company is reportedly relying on the truck to boost its business as interest in its electric passenger vehicles has shown signs of waning. While Tesla’s website states the Semi comes standard with “active safety features that pair with advanced motor and brake controls to deliver traction and stability in all conditions,” it does not include the Full Self-Driving mode found in Tesla cars.
Tesla has not yet clarified whether its semitruck is equipped with an automatic emergency braking system. This comes as federal regulators are considering a mandate for emergency braking systems in all vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds.
The Nevada State Police Highway Patrol is leading the ongoing investigation into the crash, and additional information is expected to be released next week.
Police say a woman was killed Monday when a motorist drove onto the sidewalk outside a cafe in Simi Valley.
Founded in 2025, Humble Robotics is building self-driving freight trucks with no steering wheel, driver’s seat or gas pedal.
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Caroline Petrow-Cohen is a Business reporter at the Los Angeles Times covering electric vehicles and aviation. She is a graduate of Duke University, where she studied journalism, English and environmental science and policy.
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