Tesla Denies Claims In Suit From NJ Student Who Lost Entire Bergen County Family In Crash

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Automaker Tesla has responded to a lawsuit filed this summer by a Bergen County student whose entire family died in a crash while driving home from a concert at the Jersey Shore last year.

At issue is whether the Tesla that crashed was defective, and if its autopilot system was meant to be "self-driving."

Max Dryerman, then 19, was at college in Philadelphia in September 2024 when his parents and sister were heading home from the Sea Hear Now Music Festival in Asbury Park. Their new Tesla Model S ran off the Garden State Parkway just before midnight and struck a guardrail, state police told Patch. READ MORE: Funds Raised For Surviving Son Of Family Who Died In Parkway Crash

Brooke Dryerman, 17, and parents David and Michele Dryerman, of Woodcliff Lake, died of their injuries.

On June 23 of this year, Max Dryerman and his two aunts filed suit against the automaker, arguing that the car and its features, particularly autopilot, were defective.

Tesla's lawyers filed responses to the complaint and the amended complaint in late June and late July, denying the allegations.

The attorneys for both parties are scheduled to meet in a video conference on Sept. 17 before U.S. District Court Judge Jessica Allen.

'Self-Driving'?

In the lawsuit filed in June and then amended in July, Dryerman and his aunts, each of whom is the executor for the estate of each parent, claimed that David Dryerman relied on information issued by Tesla to believe that his new car — along with its autopilot features — was safe.

In fact, the suit alleges, the car and its features were defective.

Tesla's attorney, Dennis P. Ziemba of Philadelphia, denied the allegations.

The car company revealed that according to their records, the Tesla was scheduled for delivery to David Dryerman on Aug. 24, 2024 — three weeks before the Sept. 14 crash.

Telsa argued that comments in Dryerman's suit, referring to remarks by Tesla Elon Musk about the brand's safety and alleged "self-driving" possibilities, were taken out of context.

"Tesla admits that it released its version 7.0 software in 2015," the answer to the suit states. "Tesla denies the allegations related to statements by Tesla CEO Elon Musk as an incomplete and out of context statement."

Tesla said in its answer that while it did issue vehicles with a "suite of driver assistance features collectively referred to" as Autopilot, "Tesla denies that this suite of features rendered the vehicle self-driving."

Dryerman's suit against Tesla concluded, "The 2024 Tesla Model S contained a myriad of defects in both design and/or manufacture, did not perform as an ordinary consumer would reasonably expect, its design risks outweighed its benefits, and the 2024 Tesla Model S was not sufficiently crashworthy in the event of a foreseeable crash."

The Family

Last year, relatives and friends raised more than $150,000 for Max Dryerman.

"Donations will go to support Max as he returns to college as well as charities of Max's choice," it said. "Max would also like to donate to an organization supporting teens battling anxiety and depression, as well as to Jewish causes."

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and damages, and Tesla has requested a jury trial as well.

PRIOR COVERAGE: Bergen County Teen Loses 3 Family Members In Garden State Parkway Crash