Tesla Sued Over Alleged 'Suspension Failure' In Fatal Florida Crash That Killed 2 Last Year

Tesla Inc TSLA has been sued over alleged “suspension failure” in a fatal Florida crash last year, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing a lawsuit.

What Happened: The 2021 Model 3 had a "defective and unreasonably dangerous suspension that may cause loss of control during ordinary and foreseeable driving conditions," as per the report citing the driver's family in a Florida state court last week. 

The crash that took place on Sept. 13 killed two people; 20-year old driver Nicholas G. Garcia and passenger Jazmin Alcala, 19.

The deaths sparked an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, which in a preliminary report in November said the car was speeding as fast as 90 mph before crashing into two trees and catching fire.

Garcia had brought the vehicle to a Tesla store four days before the accident for problems with "controllability/steering, suspension, battery and electronic system, and an ability to open the doors."

The lawsuit accused a Tesla service manager of "negligently" inspecting the affected model and seeks damages of over $30,000 each from Tesla and the service manager.

See Also: Tesla Says No Technical Problem To Flag In Fatal Paris Crash

Why It Matters: Accidents involving Tesla vehicles have drawn intense media and regulatory scrutiny in the past. A fatal crash in Paris, France last year involved a Model 3 and the incident was placed under formal investigation for suspected manslaughter.

French taxi firm G7 suspended the use of 37 Tesla Model 3 cars as a precautionary measure after a fatal accident that killed one person and left 20 injured.

Other crashes in the U.S. have spurred the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to investigate the Elon Musk-led company's self-driving software for its electric cars. 

Price Action: Tesla shares closed 0.1% higher at $923.39 a share on Wednesday.