alleged
Jeffrey Nissen, 28, Washington: family alleges Tesla's driver-assist system caused fatal crash
A 2022 Tesla Model S struck Jeffrey Nissen's motorcycle from behind on State Route 522; he died at the scene. Washington State Patrol said event-data-recorder data showed the car was in Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode, and the driver admitted looking at his phone. Nissen's family sued Tesla in January 2026, alleging it overstated the system's capabilities.
- Status
- Alleged, not proven
- Deaths
- 1
- Date
- 19 April 2024
- Place
- Snohomish County, Washington (SR 522), United States
- AI system
- Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised), 2022 Model S
- Developer / operator
- Tesla
- Named
- Jeffrey Nissen
Why this case is “alleged”
No court, coroner or official investigation has yet found that Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised), 2022 Model S caused or contributed to this death. The case is listed because it meets our standard for a credible allegation. It will move to the confirmed count only if an official body makes such a finding.
Legal status
Driver arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide in April 2024; as of January 2026 he had not been charged and prosecutors were still reviewing. Family's wrongful-death suit against Tesla filed 8 January 2026, pending.
Notes
Washington State Patrol said the car was in Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode; coverage of the lawsuit refers to Autopilot.
Sources
- Tesla in Seattle-area crash that killed motorcyclist was using Full Self-Driving system, authorities say
- Tesla in fatal Seattle-area crash that killed motorcyclist was in self-driving mode, officials say
- Family of WA man killed by Tesla driver using Autopilot sues company
- Stanwood family sues Tesla over deadly Autopilot crash