Tesla that struck Clovis couple in S.F. was not in auto mode during crash, police say
The Tesla that struck a Clovis couple vacationing in San Francisco on Sunday did not have its autopilot function on at the time of the crash, according to police.
KPIX reported Wednesday that investigators are preparing search warrants and working with Tesla to obtain further evidence on the crash. A data storage device from the car will also be analyzed to help determine the actions and events that led up the death of Benjamin Dean and left his wife Kelly Dean in critical condition.
The driver of the Tesla, identified as 21-year-old Kelsey Cambridge of Vallejo, was renting the vehicle through the peer-to-peer car rental service Get Around. She was arrested Sunday and booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and running a red light, police said.
The Deans were in the city celebrating their third wedding anniversary and walking near Taylor and O’Farrell streets when the Tesla ran a red light and was hit by another car. It spun out of control and struck the couple.
In a dash cam video of the crash released by ABC 7, Kelly Dean seems to see the Tesla coming. She stops and tries to shield her husband with her arms seconds before the Tesla hits them both.
Kelly Dean remains in the hospital in San Francisco, according to a post on her Facebook page Tuesday.
“She is very beat up,” the post reads.
Drugs and alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash, though the Tesla was traveling at least 45 mph, according to police.
Both Deans worked for Fresno County Social Services, according to Oralia Gomez, a deputy director with the department. Benjamin Dean was a program supervisor and Kelly Dean is an eligibility worker.
Gomez was not sure how long they had been working for the county, but she said the pair was well-liked and staff is still grieving.
“They are very sad and hurt about the situation,” she said. “They are continuing to have challenges with accepting what happened.”
This story was originally published July 24, 2019 at 11:42 AM.