Tesla Cooperates With Deadly Pond Crash Investigation

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — Tesla is cooperating with an investigation into the crash of a Model S into a pond in Castro Valley over the weekend. The crash killed the driver, 34-year-old Keith Leung of Danville. Leung's body and the car were retrieved by divers with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team during pre-dawn hours on Monday. The car was located in murky water 65 feet from the pond's edge.

Lt. Stephen Perea, Commander of the Castro Valley Office of the CHP, said in a statement, "Tesla has contacted the Castro Valley CHP office and is cooperating with this investigation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has also been notified and any relevant information will be provided to them as well."

Of particular interest is the self-driving autopilot. The CHP has not announced whether it was engaged at the time of the crash. There have been multiple crashes recently involving Tesla vehicles in which the auto-pilot was engaged, including a deadly crash on Highway 101 in Mountain View in March.

>>Also See: Tesla Driver Killed In Pond Crash Identified

"The Tesla remains in evidence," a CHP statement reads, "where it will undergo a thorough and systematic inspection from the CHP Golden Gate Division Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT). Investigators will inspect and analyze damage and any data or devices which are accessible from the vehicle."

The Castro Valley crash occurred on Crow Canyon Road sometime between the evening of May 19 and 20. The pond is on private property in the 11000 block of Crow Canyon Road.

-Images via Alameda County Sheriff’s Office