6-Year-Old Boy Dies After Being Struck by Family Tesla Cybertruck in California Driveway

A California family is grieving after 6-year-old Preston El Guindy was fatally injured when a Tesla Cybertruck backing out of their driveway struck him Saturday night.

The incident happened at approximately 9 p.m. on September 19, 2026, in the Brookhaven Court area near Highway 79, east of Temecula. According to information provided to local media, Preston was outside the vehicle when his father, Tarik El Guindy, began reversing the Cybertruck from the family driveway.

The vehicle struck the young boy as it was backing up. His father immediately called 911, and Riverside County Fire Department crews responded within minutes. Preston was transported to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where he later died from his injuries.

The California Highway Patrol said the Cybertruck was not operating on Autopilot at the time of the collision. According to information reported by media outlets, there were also no visible dashboard alerts or audible warnings that alerted the driver that a child was in the vehicle’s path.

El Guindy was questioned by investigators following the crash. Authorities found no indications that he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and he was not arrested at the time of reporting.

The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation. Investigators have not reached a final conclusion about precisely why the Cybertruck struck Preston or whether any criminal or other legal liability will result from the incident.

The tragedy has also drawn attention to the challenges surrounding vehicle safety systems and driver-assistance technology. While the Cybertruck was reportedly not using Autopilot, investigators will need to determine the vehicle’s status and the circumstances immediately before the collision rather than relying on assumptions about how the technology operated.

For Preston’s family, however, the investigation comes amid an unimaginable loss. A routine evening at home ended with the death of a young child, leaving his loved ones to mourn while authorities continue working to establish exactly what happened.

The CHP investigation remains ongoing. Until investigators complete their work, the available information does not establish intentional wrongdoing or a final determination of fault by Preston’s father.

Source: NY Post