Los Angeles, Ca
Speed a factor in Tesla Cybertruck crash into Beverly Hills Hotel: police
Authorities announced Tuesday that “unsafe speed” was a factor in a single-vehicle accident involving a Tesla Cybertruck that crashed into the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel sign earlier this month.
The Mar. 3 crash happened just before midnight at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and North Beverly Drive.
The nearly 7,000-pound stainless steel vehicle hopped the curb and came to a stop with its two front wheels on top of a concrete landscaping wall. The truck sustained major damage to its front end, as well as damaging the poles that hold the hotel’s sign.
Officers from the Beverly Hills Police Department and medical personnel with the fire department responded to the scene.
Three passengers inside the Cybertruck were examined for injuries, though no one was taken to the hospital for further treatment.
After photos of the crash went viral on X, formerly Twitter, Elon Musk, who owns the social media platform and is the co-founder and CEO of Telsa, commented on the accident.
“Cyberbeast is faster than a Porsche 911, but looks like a truck, so perhaps the valet wasn’t expecting so much acceleration,” he said, alluding to early reports that a valet crashed the truck, which turned out to be untrue.
“Upon investigation, it was determined that unsafe speed was a contributing factor to the cause of the accident,” BHPD said in a news release. “The Beverly Hills Police Department reminds all motorists to exercise caution and adhere to speed limits, especially when navigating turns and entering private properties.”
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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