The following is from the CHP:
Two vehicle fatal crash on I-680 in Walnut Creek.
This morning (2/18/23) at around 3:34am, CHP Contra Costa and Contra Costa County Fire were on the scene of a traffic crash on northbound I-680, south of Treat Boulevard.
A Contra Costa County Fire Engine was stopped at the rear of the scene to protect personnel and assist in diverting traffic.
At 3:54am, a Tesla Model S approaching the scene crashed into the rear of the fire engine.
The driver of the Tesla sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The passenger of the Tesla sustained major injuries and was transported to the hospital.
The four fire personnel aboard the fire engine were taken to the hospital for precautionary measures.
It is unclear if drug or alcohol influence is a factor in this crash. It was unable to be determined at the scene if the Tesla was being operated with any driver assistance or automation activated at the time of the crash.
This crash is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed it or the events leading up to it, please contact CHP Contra Costa in Martinez, (925) 646-4980
26 comments
Probably couldn’t see the red flashing lights.
I’m betting the Tesla was on full automatic cruise control with the driver was fully asleep.
It’s funny how techy people trust their lives with the system. I wouldn’t.
Tesla’s may or may not be good cars but I would never trust auto drive. If you can’t drive a car call a taxis. What a horrible accident. How many of these things have to smash up before people learn?
That’s on the decline just after the N. Main St. overhead crossing. The Walnut Creek maintenance yard at 511 Lawrence is on the right of the picture.
Way too many cars speed down that section of 680 over the limit.
Driver unassist?
More like driver assisted to the heavenly gates. Prayers to the family.
sometimes when people are dui, they focus on the lights… drive right into them at full speed.
Hear that’s why sometimes cops turn off all the back lights at night when on a traffic stop, so they don’t get plowed into…
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I know we have LEO’s that post here…. confirm?????
I’m sorry I don’t feel bad for the Tesla driver they were probably drunk or speeding! Possibly both! How can you not see flashing lights? I care about the firefighters lives who are out there risking theirs to save people! I’m glad they weren’t injured or killed! Sounds cruel but I don’t care. We don’t need drunk and drugged drivers on the road anyway to kill innocent people minding their own business!
Your comment is very cruel. His family is grieving the passing of their son, cousin, nephew, grandchild, brother, friend. You are literally saying you don’t feel bad for the driver who did not make it out alive. Think about that. Hopefully you never lose a family member and have to experience the pain his family is going through at this time.
I’ve had friends and family members seriously injured because some idiot was driving impaired or distracted and ran right into them. This driver doesn’t get a free pass just because you’re friends with them. There are four injured firefighters, and they are the real victims here.
And what about the fire fighters that were injured?
What about the diminished capacity of the Contra Costa County Fire Department that is now down a tiller truck (those are not that common)?
Sorry ‘A Friend 2’, play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Fire fighters are not being rude when they stage an engine to protect a scene they’re working, it’s for self preservation. Always slow down and move over.
Right “Original G”. Could you imagine what could have happened and other lives lost IF that engine was not positioned for Scene Safty?
Take a look at that carnage and tell me Tesla’s are built to save lives.
Very sad…..
I feel bad that the person died, but at the same time that only goes so far. It is scary that someone couldn’t notice one or more firetrucks with flashing lights. Could be several reasons, dui, not paying attention, doesn’t matter.
What about us Normal folks who depend on those lights for a Safe Road Closure????
Let’s not change the rules for a minority!!!
One of the reasons we drive a 1 ton lifted huge 4×4. We feel alot safer in it than any tin can if we ever got hit or we hit something.
While you can’t cheat death when it’s your time it’s your time but there are ways to help protect yourself better when choosing what to drive.
No excuse for not seeing what’s up ahead when driving…
Some of these comments are very insensitive. Imagine the family or friends being on this page and seeing these comments. You don’t know what the circumstances are of this crash and you don’t know the character of the people driving. Be more sensitive and caring. Don’t assume people have malicious intent or have made bad choices. Somebody lost their life. Be silent and let them pass in peace.
Like I posted I feel bad for the person that drove, but only to a certain extent. I have spend a lot of time driving ( for 5 years I worked at Macy’s in Palo Alto, but lived in Concord) lots of people don’t attention, or drive recklessly, so while it is sad this person died, and I do feel bad for his/her family, obviously if you don’t notice firetrucks with lights flashing something is wrong. So often when something like that happens, an innocent person gets killed, so while we might feel bad that this person died, he is the one that didn’t paid attention, or drove under the influence.
Or maybe it was a medical emergency.
That is a slight possibility. So many hear are giving thumbs down to comments that just hints at a little compassion for the person that died. At the very least we can feel bad for the persons family.
You could at least pretend to care about the four firefighters that this person injured.
I think that goes without saying.
The fire truck had its lights flashing … other trucks and emergency vehicles had their lights flashing and still no no attempt to brake or no slowing down.
They hit a Tiller Fire Truck at a high rate of speed, causing the truck to move. A small Tiller weighs in at over 40,000 lbs! A heavy model 3 weigh in at a tad over 4,000 lbs. I don’t remember my physics calculations, but to have 4,000 lbs move over 40,000 lbs requires a lot of speed … I am pretty sure it is more than 65mph, probably even more than 75mph.
Sorry the circumstantial evidence suggested that someone was driving recklessly and lost their life as a result of it. Fortunately, no one else was killed because of their stupid actions.
Assuming the Black Box (Event Data Recorder) survived, police will know what was, or was not being done in the vehicle prior to the crash.
Spent over thirty years building and upgrading control systems for complex industrial automation.
The most novice operators brought out flaws in software. When writing code you first idiot proof it then you take it one step further and operator proof it.
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Variables involved in traversing roadways are darn near endless.
Large numbers of flashing red lights can be confusing for humans.
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