Korean actor sues Tesla for alleged SUA accident in California

By Jhoo Dong-chan

Korean Actor Son Ji-chang, who filed a complaint against the U.S.-based electric carmaker Tesla for alleged sudden unintended acceleration, is asking the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate the case.

“I will do whatever it takes to hold Tesla responsible,” Son was quoted as saying. “It was not for money. Tesla has handled the issue irresponsibly and is falsely accusing me and my family. From now on, I will take legal proceedings against Tesla.”

Son claimed his Tesla Model X sport utility vehicle (SUV) unintentionally accelerated as he was parking it in his garage, crashing into his house in California, Sept. 30 last year. He and his son were allegedly injured in the accident.

Son also said he tried to settle the issue with Tesla amicably through dialogue, but had no option but to file a complaint against the U.S. electric carmaker, Dec. 30.

A Tesla spokesman told the U.S. media before Son filed the lawsuit that he “threatened to use his celebrity status in Korea to hurt Tesla” unless the company “agreed to make a financial payment and acknowledge that the vehicle accelerated on its own.”

He added that “the evidence clearly shows the vehicle was not at fault. Our policy is to stand by the evidence and not to give in to ultimatums.”

Son posted about the accident on his Facebook, saying Tesla did not admit its fault so he filed the lawsuit.

“Tesla said I demanded money because I was famous,” he said on his post. “I would have been killed if the wall was concrete.”

According to his lawsuit, there have been nine other cases similar to Son’s Model X accident in the U.S.