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Man falls asleep at the wheel and hits a cyclist, blames the new car smell
A 63-year-old man says that the new car smell inside his new Tesla Model S was too intense. Apparently, the smell caused him to fall asleep at the wheel while driving on a highway on the outskirts of Santa Cruz, California. The car then crossed to the other side of the highway, and struck and killed a cyclist riding in the opposite direction.
The man had previously attempted to eliminate the odour by using an air freshener with sodium bicarbonate. After thoroughly inspecting the car, the authorities blamed the driver, who has now been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
His lawyer said that his client will plead Not Guilty. He hopes to prove that the intense smell inside the new Model S is what caused the incident. In addition to the charges, the driver must also defend himself against the family of the cyclist, who has initiated a civil lawsuit against him and Tesla.
