Southern California Recruit Alijah Arenas Escapes Burning Tesla Cybertruck After Crash

Southern California basketball recruit Alijah Arenas recounted his terrifying escape from a burning Tesla Cybertruck after crashing into a tree in April. Disoriented and trapped as smoke filled the cabin, Arenas found that the vehicle's keypad and steering wheel were unresponsive, and the Tesla app had locked him out, preventing door access. After nearly 10 minutes of trying to escape, including moving to the back seat and attempting to break a window, he finally broke through the driver's side window and fell into water from a broken fire hydrant, where bystanders helped him. Arenas spent six days in the hospital but emerged without major injuries. His account highlights the dangers posed by the Cybertruck's digital locking systems in emergencies and underscores the resilience required to survive such incidents. The story has sparked conversations about vehicle safety and the unpredictability of life.