Tesla jump stunt sparks anger in L.A.
Echo Park, California — Los Angeles Police Department investigators officers are searching for the driver of a Tesla seen on video jumping an intersection in this neighborhood, CBS Los Angeles reports.
The video, which has gone viral, was recorded at around 12:10 a.m. Sunday and shows the vehicle speeding uphill before launching several feet in the air, landing on the other side of the street and skittering down the hill — hitting two parked vehicles and several trash cans on the street. It can be seen on LAPD Central Traffic's Youtube.
One resident provided CBS L.A. with what appeared to be a common reaction: "Holy s–t!"
[Related: An eyewitness tells CBS News Los Angeles about capturing the viral Tesla jump.]
Police said the 2018 Tesla S was a rental vehicle.
According to Tesla's website, the 2022 model tri-motor all-wheel drive version of the vehicle — with 1,020 horsepower and a top speed of 200 miles per hour — is listed at $129,740, while the dual motor version is listed at $93,740, all without any upgrades included, while Kelley Blue Book has used 2018 Model S' going for upwards of $60,000.
Detective Juan Campos, who's with LAPD's Central Traffic Division, issued a statement via Zoom Sunday saying in part, "Luckily, nobody got killed. … One wrong move and it would've gone to the left or right and we would've had a different story than just property damage."
Now, neighbors are outraged, not only because it's dangerous, but because this isn't the first time this has happened.
"I heard the crash, I felt the crash," said Jordan Hook, who was able to quickly run into the yard and capture video of some of the people involved in the incident getting into what he called a "support Tesla" to flee, leaving the totaled Tesla behind.
He was beyond upset because his vehicle was one of the ones the Tesla hit after it flew through the air. Hook said his Subaru "can't be turned or driven."
"The cringeworthy thing that gets your blood boiling isn't necessarily the car jumping and crashing", he said. "It's the attitude of these guys and the fact that they're so cocky about it. Then they just get up and leave after it's done."
"The fact that they tried to jump it is just so dumb," said Ben Havok, another neighbor in the area. "Everything that happened after is just kind of insane."
Cliff Magreta, who lives on the street, recorded from his house detailing detailed the "eerie calm" after the vehicle finally settled at the bottom of the hill.
The Tesla reportedly was left at the scene of the incident and no motorist information was available as authorities continued their search. They plan to follow up with the renter of the vehicle and have already filed a misdemeanor hit-and-run report.
Jonathan Sutak was angry, telling CBS L.A., "The cops are gonna do nothing about it because it's property damage," he said. "No one was hurt; of course if someone was hurt they'd do something about it, but then it would be too late."
As he picked the debris from the crash from his front yard, Sutak continued to note that he didn't really see an end in sight due to the lack of accountability for these crimes, especially knowing what people will do for a little bit of internet clout.
"I think only if there's a high profile arrest or fine will there be some kind of sign people should not drive Teslas over my house," he said.
The LAPD said it would be increasing patrols through the vicinity to try to prevent any copycat attempts.
