Army sergeant identified as driver in Tesla cybertruck explosion outside Trump hotel
Authorities have identified the driver killed in Wednesday’s Tesla cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas as Master Sergeant Matthew Alan Livelsberger, a U.S. Army Special Operations serviceman.
The incident left seven others injured.
According to the New York Times, the explosion occurred at about 8:40 a.m. when the rented 2024 Tesla cybertruck stopped near the hotel’s glass entrance on Fashion Show Drive, just off the Las Vegas Strip.
Sgt Livelsberger, who was on approved leave at the time of the incident, had a distinguished military career, serving on active duty, in the National Guard, and in the Army Reserve, according to the Army.
Witnesses described seeing the cybertruck engulfed in flames before firefighters arrived to extinguish the blaze.
Investigators later found gasoline canisters, camp fuel canisters, and large firework mortars in the truck’s bed. However, the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented on the incident via X (formerly Twitter), stating that the cybertruck had been functioning correctly and suggested the explosion was caused by “very large fireworks and/or a bomb” transported in the vehicle.
The incident occurred outside the 64-story Trump International Hotel, a prominent location just off the Strip. Sgt Livelsberger’s role in the military and the circumstances leading to the explosion are expected to be key points in the ongoing investigation.
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