A 37-year-old man, later identified as Ryan Mark Larson of Huntington Beach, died Tuesday afternoon when his speeding Tesla crashed at a busy intersection and rolled over multiple times — a wreck that left nearby motorists and probation officers hospitalised and sent shockwaves through the neighborhood.
It all unfolded around 2:45 p.m. at the intersection of Heil Avenue and Goldenwest Street. According to the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD), a gray Tesla Model 3 traveling eastbound at a “high rate of speed” lost control as it crossed the intersection, colliding with several vehicles. Witnesses described the Tesla clipping another car, catching air after hitting a dip, then flipping violently — ultimately coming to rest a considerable distance from the initial impact.
When first responders arrived, they found a chaotic scene: seven cars involved, wreckage strewn across the intersection and beyond — and the Tesla overturned and motionless. Fire crews covered the vehicle with a tarp. The driver, Larson, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three other people were hurt and taken to hospital in stable condition. Among them were two officers from the Orange County Probation Department — one of whom remained hospitalized for further care.
A chilling dash-cam video released by authorities shows the Tesla barreling through the intersection before violently flipping. One bystander — stuck at a red light — recalled seeing the car “flying up the road,” then losing control. His wife’s stunned reaction: “What was he doing, going so fast?”
At this stage, investigators have not determined whether drugs, alcohol, or even advanced driver-assist features like Autopilot played a role. No arrests have been made, and HBPD has urged anyone with additional information to come forward.
The crash temporarily shut down the intersection for hours, as emergency crews worked to clear the mess and survey the damage. For now, the community is left grappling with the sudden, tragic loss of a life — and many unanswered questions about what led to such a catastrophic accident.
