Tesla Driver Dies After Fiery Crash On Hwy 101 In Mountain View

SANTA CLARA VALLEY, CA — A Tesla driver who crashed Friday on U.S. Highway 101 in Mountain View died after being taken to the hospital, officials reported Friday afternoon. The fiery crash and subsequent investigation led to an hours-long closure on the roadway earlier in the day.

"Unfortunately, the driver of the Tesla succumbed to his injuries at Stanford," CHP said in a Twitter post at 3:42 p.m. Friday.

The fatal wreck happened around 9:30 a.m. as the Tesla was going south on U.S. Highway 101 at the state Highway 85 carpool flyover when it collided with a median barrier — causing the car to catch fire, according to the CHP.

Officials said the driver was going "at freeway speeds."

After the Tesla hit the median, it landed in the number two lane of Highway 101 and was subsequently hit by a Mazda traveling in that lane. An Audi traveling in the left-most lane crashed as well, bringing the number of total vehicles involved to three, CHP officers said.

A Sig-Alert was issued following the crash and the roadway was not fully reopened until after 3 p.m., reports indicated.

Officials from the Redwood City CHP and the Mountain View Fire Department helped to douse the flames and clear the crash.

By Bay City News Service, Maggie Avants and Renee Schiavone

Tesla photo by Maggie Avants/Patch