A 70-year-old California woman filed a lawsuit against Tesla, a company representative, and Cars & Coffee event organizers after a head-on collision in the Bay Area.
The crash occurred on August 30, 2026, along State Route 84 near La Honda when 21-year-old Micah Zuglian, identified as a Tesla representative, was allegedly demonstrating a Model Y's performance for event photographers. The complaint claims Zuglian reached speeds exceeding 80 mph on a road with posted limits of 35-40 mph. Speedometer images from the drive allegedly show the vehicle traveling at 83 mph and 61 mph near a 35-mph sign. Zuglian crossed double-yellow lines and struck Michelle Brooks's 2014 Honda CR-V head-on.
Brooks was transported to Stanford Hospital with injuries including fractured vertebrae, fractured ribs, broken limbs, and a traumatic brain injury.
The complaint alleges that California Highway Patrol, San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, and a county supervisor's office had previously met with event organizers and urged them to cancel the gathering due to traffic safety concerns. The suit notes that the area has seen more than 20 deaths and almost 800 injuries from automobile crashes in the past five years.
Brooks alleges Tesla negligently entrusted the vehicle to its representative and failed to supervise him adequately. The complaint also names event organizer Ethan Garabedian, operating as "9burgring," and Ambassador Wine Bars LLC, which hosted the event, alleging negligence for proceeding despite reported safety concerns.
The allegations remain unproven in court.