The families of Edgar Monserratt Martinez and Barrett Riley are bringing Tesla to civil trial in Broward County, Florida over a 2018 crash that killed both 18-year-olds. Riley was driving a 2014 Tesla Model S at 116 mph in a 30 mph zone when the car struck a wall on Seabreeze Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. The families allege Tesla bears responsibility for the deaths. A prior civil proceeding in 2022 did not resolve the matter in the families' favor, and they are now retrying the case. The central theory appears to be product liability or negligence — likely that Tesla's vehicle design, including its acceleration capability or safety systems, contributed to the crash. Tesla has historically argued driver conduct, not vehicle defect, causes high-speed crashes. The retry signals the families believe they can present a stronger case the second time.
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Media Coverage · April 19, 2026
A Broward County civil trial is underway against Tesla over a 2018 crash that killed two 18-year-olds, Barrett Riley and Edgar Monserratt Martinez. Riley was driving a 2014 Model S at 116 mph in a 30 mph zone when he hit a wall on Seabreeze Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. The families argue both teens survived the impact but died in the post-crash fire when the battery ignited — making this a product liability case
newspaper Read article— Grieving parents attempted to hold Tesla responsible for two deaths during a civil case in 2022, and they will be trying again in court on Monday. Edgar Monserratt Martinez and Barrett Riley were both 18-year-old seniors preparing to graduate from the Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale when they died. Riley was driving a 2014 Tesla Model S at 116 mph in a 30 mph zone when he crashed in 2018 into a wall along Seabreeze Boulevard, records showed. The grieving families claim Riley and Monserrat
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A Broward County civil trial is underway against Tesla over a 2018 crash that killed two 18-year-olds, Barrett Riley and Edgar Monserratt Martinez. Riley was driving a 2014 Model S at 116 mph in a 30 mph zone when he hit a wall on Seabreeze Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. The families argue both teens survived the impact but died in the post-crash fire when the battery ignited — making this a product liability case about the car's fire risk, not just the speed.
— Grieving parents attempted to hold Tesla responsible for two deaths during a civil case in 2022, and they will be trying again in court on Monday. Edgar Monserratt Martinez …
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