A Tesla owner was burned alive in his Cybertruck after the stainless-steel beast erupted in a 5,000-degree inferno so intense it caused his bones to disintegrate, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Texas.
Michael Sheehan, 47, bought the futuristic pickup in April 2024. Just three months later on Aug. 3, the truck veered off-road, slammed into a culvert and burst into flames near Beach City, around 30 miles east of Houston.
The raging fire trapped Sheehan inside the vehicle as the batteries powering the $100,000 SUV went into catastrophic failure, court filings say. The blaze was so hot Sheehan’s skeletal system literally fractured from the heat.
“He was eight inches shorter in length than he was before he burned,” attorney S. Scott West told The Independent. “That’s thermal fracture.”
Sheehan’s widow, Shannon, and his parents filed the suit in June, accusing Tesla of selling a vehicle so defectively designed it transformed a survivable crash into a fiery death.
“This was a single-vehicle crash,” the petition states. “The crash forces were survivable… except for the fire, ergonomic shortcomings, and deficient crashworthiness.”
West, a former industrial design engineer turned trial lawyer, blasted the company’s priorities.
“Not only are you riding on top of 3,000 pounds of batteries, this ‘spaceship’ design is a double-edged sword,” West told The Independent.
He alleged Tesla put aesthetics ahead of basic safety, making it nearly impossible for Sheehan to escape once the truck lost power. Instead, Sheehan found himself locked in a firetrap.
The lawsuit says the Cybertruck’s electrically operated doors can’t be opened once power is cut. Exterior handles fail, and the manual release latches inside are “unreasonably difficult to locate in an emergency.”
Tesla, the filing continues, gave owners “insufficient warnings or training” on how to exit post-crash.
“Michael was a Mensa-level guy, very, very smart,” West told The Independent.
“But when Tesla delivered this [Cybertruck] to him, the instructions they gave him were woefully inadequate to handle a situation like this.”
West acknowledged that Sheehan had alcohol in his system, a fact noted in the complaint. But, he argued, “that shouldn’t sign his death warrant.”
In fact, the lawsuit also targets 3180 Bar, LLC, doing business as The Barn Whiskey Bar, where Sheehan was allegedly overserved on the night of the crash.
Attorneys accuse the bar of continuing to serve Sheehan despite his condition and failing to intervene or provide safe alternatives.
Sheehan, who worked as a registered nurse, was remembered by loved ones as a devoted husband with a “gentle spirit.”
His obituary said he loved cooking for family and friends, was passionate about zombie movies, and lived life “authentically” and “unapologetically.”
“Knowing and loving Michael was a true joy,” his obituary read. “He made a profound impact on so many lives. He was unique, authentic, caring, funny and he lived his life unapologetically.”
Sheehan was the first person to die in a Cybertruck crash since the model launched in November 2023, according to The Independent.
Months later, three college students in California were burned to death in another Cybertruck wreck.
In April, USC basketball recruit Alijah Arenas — son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas — was placed in an induced coma after a fiery Cybertruck crash in Los Angeles.
Tesla has recalled the Cybertruck at least eight times since launch for problems ranging from accelerator pedals that detached to body panels that delaminated.
The model has also suffered steep depreciation on resale and sluggish sales as rivals gain ground.
West said he hopes the Sheehan case forces Tesla and Elon Musk to finally confront the dangers of their vehicles.
“Every religion has a version of hell, and every version of hell has fire,” he told The Independent.
“It is the most excruciating and longest torture of any death. The nerves are literally exposed to everything. It’s horrific.”
He added: “There’s my challenge to Elon. Put me out of business. Make these vehicles so safe that I don’t have to do this anymore.”
Tesla and The Barn Whiskey Bar did not respond to a request for comment.
