Memorial services for 3 Piedmont students killed in fiery Cybertruck crash
(L-R) Soren Dixon, Krysta Tsukahara and Jack Nelson, all 2023 Piedmont High graduates, were killed in a crash in Piedmont on Nov. 27, 2024. Photo: City of Piedmont
PIEDMONT, Calif. - It's been nearly a month since three Piedmont college students died in a fiery Cybertruck crash, a tragedy that has permeated the small, tight-knit community.
Their families issued brief statements about their grief -- but then asked for privacy.
Police have released some details about what happened shortly after 3 a.m. on Nov. 27, but won't elaborate when asked more specific questions about what exactly occurred to cause the modernistic Tesla pickup to veer off the road and slam into a tree and then a retaining wall at Hampton road and King Avenue.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating but has not yet released a public report.
Soren Dixon, Jack Nelson and Krysta Tsukahara died in the crash, and the fourth person in the car, Jordan Miller, was able to get out and was hospitalized. His current condition hasn't been shared with the wider public.
Mayor Jen Cavanaugh spoke about the weight of these deaths on Thanskgiving, before the annual Turkey Trot.
"These things aren't supposed to happen in our community," she said at the time. "We don't get a practice ground for this, and there's no rulebook for how we show up today. I went to bed last night thinking the words might come today for what to say. It turned out there are no words that will bring these kids back to us."
Piedmont students killed in fiery Cybertruck crash: What we know
Over the weekend, the city of Piedmont released the names and brief statements from the families of three 2023 Piedmont High School graduates who died in a fiery Cybertruck crash on the day before Thanksgiving.
Their families wrote obituaries in the Piedmont Exedra and the San Francisco Chronicle, sharing their memories of their children and when their memorial services will be.
Jack Nelson
Funeral Mass for Nelson will be held on Dec. 21 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Piedmont at 11 a.m.
Nelson was the middle of three children, and "always full of life" as well as a "kind and joyful man," his family wrote in his obituary.
He loved the outdoors and adventure, like living in Thailand and Canada, and building houses in Tijuana, Mexico, with his church.
Nelson held a deep faith, was a loyal friend, a good student, and an avid athlete, being a running back for the football team, playing lacrosse and being named Piedmont High School Athlete of the Year. He was also a certified scuba diver, a mountain biker, hiker and skier.
He was studying business at the University of Colorado, Boulder and was in the Sigma Nu fraternity.
Krysta Tsukahara
Tsukahara's memorial will be held on Dec. 28 at the Sequoyah Country Club. The time has not yet been announced.
In her obituary, her family wrote that she was a "beautiful soul" who was kind, determined and giving. She also had an eye for fashion and her nickname was "our little Marie Kondo" because her room was so clean.
She even asked for a custom closet organizer for her birthday.
Her family said she was thriving at Savannah College of Arts and Design.
Soren Dixon
Dixon's service will be held on Jan. 4 at 11 a.m. at the Piedmont Community Church.
His family wrote in his obituary that he was "vibrant, loving and charming…elevating every room he entered."
He was the youngest of three siblings, and was both good at school and sports – playing on three varsity teams, his family said, adding that he had "near perfect grades" despite being late almost every morning.
Dixon especially loved lacrosse, where he was a "fierce competitor" but also a passionate leader, his family wrote. Dixon was a biology major at USC and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.