Tesla To Study Model S Charred And Severed In High-Speed L.A. Crash

PALO ALTO (CBS SF) -- Electric-car maker Tesla Motors is requesting to review the remains of a stolen Model S Sedan that split in half and went up in flames following a high-speed chase in Los Angeles. The Palo Alto-based company is working with police and fire officials to investigate the July 4 fiery crash that left six injured, including the driver who was taken into custody. After stealing the car, a 28-year-old man led police on a high-speed chase then crashed into two lights poles alongside a West Hollywood synagogue, splitting the Model S in half and triggering a fire. "We've asked to take a look at the vehicle as soon as that's possible," Simon Sproule, a company spokesman, told Bloomberg. "There aren't so many S's involved in major crashes, and certainly not quite like this one, so we absolutely want to have a look to understand what happened." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given Telsa's Model S, priced from $71,000, it's highest review -- a five-star rating for crashworthiness which includes tests for frontal, side and rollover crashes. A titanium plate to better protect Telsa's lithium-ion battery was added after the NHTSA reviewed prior crashes that led to Model S fires.