Tesla driver killed after car goes airborne off the 55 Freeway in Orange

A Tesla driver was killed early Thursday, Oct. 15, after the car reportedly went airborne off the southbound 55 Freeway near Chapman Avenue in Orange.

The car landed upside down with its roof crushed. Firefighters used extraction equipment to reach the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

What we know

No other vehicles were reported to be involved. The California Highway Patrol is investigating what caused the crash.

The driver's name and age, the exact time of the crash and its cause had not been released in any report Juice Unlocked could find.

At the scene

Photos from the scene show a white Tesla on its roof in a landscaped area under trees. The body is torn open, and pieces of the car are scattered across the ground as firefighters work around the wreck with rescue tools.

A wider shot shows police officers and firefighters gathered on the grass next to a "Freeway Entrance / South 55" sign, with a fire department vehicle parked along the road.

Developing

Juice Unlocked could not find other news reports or official statements on this crash at the time of publishing. We will update this story if CHP or the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner releases more details.