Off Duty Police Officer Struck and Killed by Tesla Employee Bus
An off-duty Alameda County Sheriff’s deputy was killed in a car accident the morning of May 12, 2017 involving a Tesla employee bus on an East Bay freeway. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, the deputy identified as Sroeuy Khin, had just gotten off work and was headed home on the Interstate 580 near Tracy. Khin was driving a Volkswagen Beetle and was stopped for an unknown reason in a freeway lane near Grant Line Road when the employee bus rear-ended the vehicle.
The driver of the bus told officers that the sun’s glare was blinding and he did not see the Volkswagen in the freeway lane. The officer died at the scene. Of the 55 Tesla employees aboard the bus, one was injured, but not hospitalized. Tesla later released a statement saying the tour bus was an independently operated shuttle carrying Tesla employees. The company has promised to cooperate with the official investigation.
Our deepest condolences go out to the family members, friends and co-workers of Sroeuy Khin, who was tragically killed in this bus crash. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
What Caused This Fatal Crash?
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the bus said he was blinded by the rays of the morning sun and failed to spot the officer’s Beetle that was stalled in the freeway lane. There are also other unanswered questions here. Was the driver of the bus under the influence at the time? Was the driver fatigued or drowsy? Did driver distraction or excessive speed play a part in this crash? We trust officials are looking at these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.
Liability Issues
In this case, if the bus driver is determined to have been at fault or negligent, both the driver and his or her employer could be held liable for Khin’s wrongful death. In such cases, family members of the decedent can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, funeral costs, lost future income, pain and suffering and loss of love and companionship. An experienced California personal injury lawyer will be able to advised families of deceased victims in such cases regarding their legal rights and options.