Reno, Nevada – R. Shawn Oliphant of Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P. has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tesla, Inc. over a June 28, 2026 crash in Dayton, Nevada, in which a Tesla Semi struck a car from behind while it was stopped at a red light. Jennifer Villanueva and her husband, Sergio Villanueva III, both died from their injuries. This is believed to be the first wrongful death case filed anywhere over a crash involving Tesla’s electric semi truck.
The lawsuit was filed September 15, 2026 in the Second Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada, County of Washoe (Case No. CV26-02676). The driver of the truck is also named as a defendant.
According to the complaint, the Villanuevas were stopped at the light on U.S. Highway 50 at Traditions Parkway in their 1965 Volkswagen Beetle. A Tesla Semi owned by Tesla, and driven by a Tesla employee, crashed into the Beetle from behind, and pushed it through the intersection and off the road. The complaint alleges the Tesla Semi truck driver had fallen asleep and never applied the brakes.
Much of the case centers on the safety technology Tesla built, or failed to build, into the Semi truck. It is well known that Tesla has the ability to install and activate collision avoidance software with automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, Enhanced Autopilot with driver monitoring, and a driver drowsiness warning features in its vehicles. The complaint alleges that Tesla either chose not install these features on the Semi truck, these features were installed but not working properly, or the features were allowed to be turned off, resulting in this crash.
“Jennifer and Sergio may still be alive today if the Tesla truck had a working collision avoidance system” said R. Shawn Oliphant, a personal injury litigation partner at Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P. “The family deserves to know why Tesla would allow its semi trucks on the road without properly working collision avoidance systems, and we intend to get that answer in court.”
The complaint brings claims against Tesla for vicarious liability; negligent hiring, training, supervision, retention and entrustment; failure to install or use commercially feasible safety features; and negligent maintenance, inspection and repair. It also seeks punitive damages. The allegations in the complaint still need to be proven in court.
The complaint notes that Tesla is currently testing autonomous, full self-driving semi trucks on public roads. As more fleets bring electric and partially automated trucks onto highways, questions about who is responsible when that technology fails are going to come up more often, in courtrooms and in fleet safety meetings alike.
“When a commercial truck causes a death, you have to look past the driver’s seat,” Oliphant said. “You look at the company that owns the truck, how it trains and supervises its drivers, and what safety equipment it chooses to use or leave off. That is where many of these cases are decided.”
CASE INFORMATION
Washoe County District Court (Department 6), Nevada
Julianna Akers v. Stefan Boone
Case No. CV26-02676
Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P. is a Reno law firm that represents people across Northern Nevada who have been seriously injured or have lost a family member, including in truck accidents and other commercial vehicle crashes. The firm prepares every case as if it is going to trial and intentionally limits the number of cases it takes, so clients work directly with their attorneys from start to finish. To learn more, visit renonvlaw.com or call 775-284-8888.
Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P.
327 California Avenue, Reno, NV 89509
775-284-8888
[email protected]
https://www.renonvlaw.com
Press Contact : R Shawn
Distributed by Law Firm Newswire
