So-called social media ‘clout chasers’ will do anything to get popular, even if it means endangering the lives of themselves—and others.
According to videos hitting social media early on Sunday morning showed a failed Tesla Model S stunt in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Baxter and Alvarado streets.
The electric sedan is seen accelerating and sent airborne, crashing down and coming to a stop after hitting a recycling bin and crashing into a parked car. The occupants were apparently uninjured and video shows curtain airbags deployed.
According to the LAPD, there’s currently a $1,000 reward for the misdemeanour hit-and-run stunt. On Sunday evening, LAPD has apparently identified the driver based on tips received.
“We have received over 50 tips and anticipate more due [to] the story going viral. Over 90% of the tips are of the same person who has a TikTok handle of @dominykas or @durtedom on Twitter. He is considered a person of interest based on the public postings on his account,” said the LAPD.
The Tesla Model S was apparently rented from Turo.
We have received over 50 tips and anticipate more due the story going viral. Over 90% of the tips are of the same person who has a TikTok handle of @dominykas or @durtedom on Twitter. He is considered a person of interest based on the public postings on his account.
— LAPDCTD (@LAPDCTD24) March 21, 2022
A closer look at the crash can be seen from Alex Choi’s video below:
According to a tweet from a user by the name of ‘Michelle’, she claims it was her brother’s vehicle that was hit by the flying Tesla.
“Stop promoting the reckless driving of @durtedom and watching the video #alexchoi posted. The car your “flying” Tesla slammed into belongs to my brother, a musician who relies on that now totaled vehicle,” writes @michybelle, linking to a YouTube video posted by her brother Jordan, but later taken down by a copyright claim by Alex Choi.
Jordan Hook ended up re-posting his video below, detailing the damage to his vehicle and also a GoFundMe to seek up to $20,000 in funds to repair his vehicle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYZY85YgL6g
The dangerous stunt could have killed the vehicle occupants and any bystanders on the street.
Detective Juan Campos of the LAPD said the Tesla jump was “a dangerous stunt,” according to KTLA.
“It never should’ve been done,” said Campos. “I don’t know what they were thinking about. It could’ve gotten somebody killed.”
It’s still unknown if the alleged driver has turned himself in to police yet.
