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Cruise Agrees to Reduce Driverless Car Fleet in San Francisco After Crash

A driverless Cruise taxi with a passenger collided with a fire truck Thursday night, just one week after state officials allowed the service to expand.

By Yiwen Lu

Yiwen Lu has been covering the fight over the expansion of driverless taxi services in San Francisco.

Less than a day after one of its driverless taxis collided with a fire truck in a San Francisco intersection, Cruise agreed on Friday to a request from state regulators to cut in half the number of vehicles it was operating in the city.

The setback for the driverless car company came just a week after the California Public Utilities Commission voted to allow the expansion of driverless taxi services from Cruise, which is owned by General Motors, and its rival Waymo, which is owned by the Google parent company Alphabet.

On Friday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which regulates the safety of the driverless cars, asked Cruise to halve the number of vehicles it was operating in San Francisco. The Cruise vehicle’s collision with a fire truck the day before had injured a passenger in the driverless car. Earlier in the week, another Cruise vehicle got stuck in newly poured concrete on another city street.

Drew Pusateri, a spokesman for Cruise, said in a statement on Saturday that compared with the injuries and fatalities on the roadway today, Cruise “positively impacts overall road safety” and that it will provide state officials with “any data they need to reinforce the safety and efficiency of our fleet.”

The company, which now has 400 vehicles operating in San Francisco, will have no more than 50 driverless cars running during the day and 150 at night.

Last weekend, about 10 Cruise vehicles stopped functioning in the middle of a busy street in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, blocking traffic for 15 minutes. Mr. Pusateri said in an earlier statement that the cars had difficulty connecting to the Cruise employees who might have guided them out of the way because of a spike in cellular traffic caused by a music festival in the city’s Golden Gate Park about four miles away.

Several other Cruise vehicles also stalled in streets near the park.

One week ago, the C.P.U.C. allowed both companies to charge for rides around the clock anywhere in San Francisco. The C.P.U.C. and the D.M.V. are the two agencies governing autonomous vehicles in California. A company has to obtain a permit from the D.M.V. before it applies for driverless deployment permits — the kind that Cruise and Waymo received last week — from the utilities commission.

The motor vehicles authority said in a statement that it is “investigating recent concerning incidents involving Cruise vehicles in San Francisco.” The agency asked Cruise to cut the number of vehicles operating in San Francisco “until the investigation is complete and Cruise takes appropriate corrective actions to improve road safety.”

“The DMV reserves the right, following investigation of the facts, to suspend or revoke testing and/or deployment permits if there is determined to be an unreasonable risk to public safety,” the agency said in its statement.

San Francisco officials have complained since January that autonomous vehicles have been interfering with emergency vehicles. Before this week, officials documented 55 incidents where a driverless car abruptly stopped or interfered with emergency vehicles, including one instance with firefighters who were battling a house fire.

On Wednesday, city officials filed an injunction asking the C.P.U.C. to temporarily halt the driverless taxi expansion. Neither company has detailed how they plan to add to their driverless taxi services.

Yiwen Lu is a technology reporting fellow based in San Francisco. More about Yiwen Lu

Driverless Cars and the Future of Transportation

China’s Advantage: Across China , more assisted driving systems and robot taxis are being tested than in any other country, with censors limiting discussions about safety.

A Very Slow Restart: An incident that seriously injured a pedestrian in San Francisco led Cruise, G.M.’s driverless car subsidiary, to take all of its cars off the road. The question now is when they will return .

An Appetite for Destruction: A wave of lawsuits argue that Tesla’s Autopilot software is dangerously overhyped. What can its blind spots teach us about Elon Musk, the company’s erratic chief executive ?

Along for the Ride: Here’s what New York Times reporters experienced during test rides in driverless cars operated by Tesla , Waymo  and Cruise .

The Future of Transportation?: Driverless cars, once a Silicon Valley fantasy, have become a 24-hour-a-day reality in San Francisco . “The Daily” looked at the unique challenges of coexisting with cars that drive themselves .

• Autonomous Cars /

Cruise says a hit-and-run ‘launched’ pedestrian in front of one of its robotaxis

The incident is the latest to involve a driverless vehicle in san francisco, where hundreds of robotaxis are operating commercially 24/7..

By Andrew J. Hawkins , transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.

Share this story

A hit-and-run in San Francisco last night ended with a pedestrian “stuck” under a Cruise autonomous vehicle. Police are investigating whether a human-driven vehicle may have been involved in the crash.

The driver struck a female pedestrian, throwing her in the path of a Cruise robotaxi that was operating autonomously. The Cruise vehicle then braked, with its rear tire still on top of the woman’s leg, fire officials told NBC . After Cruise disabled the vehicle, rescuers were able to get the vehicle off the woman’s leg using the jaws of life, NBC reports.

While the investigation is ongoing, Cruise put out a series of statements on X (formerly Twitter) to explain its role in the crash. The pedestrian was “launched” in front of a Cruise robotaxi after being struck by a vehicle that was traveling in the lane to the left, the company said. The robotaxi “braked aggressively to minimize impact,” while the driver of the other vehicle fled the scene. The condition of the struck pedestrian is unknown at this time, police said.

The crash was the latest in San Francisco to involve a driverless vehicle, as hundreds more have hit the road recently for 24/7 commercial service . With more robotaxis have also come a number of crashes, most of which have been minor, though a handful have involved injuries.

The crash was the latest in San Francisco to involve a driverless vehicle

A spokesperson with the San Francisco Police Department sent this statement:

On 10/02/23 at approximately 9:31 pm officers responded to 5th and Market Streets regarding a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. Officers arrived on scene and discovered an autonomous vehicle struck an adult pedestrian. Officers rendered aid and summoned medics to the scene and transported the pedestrian to the hospital. The medical condition of the pedestrian is unknown at this time. The autonomous vehicle remained on scene and did not have an occupant at the time of the collision. The operator of the autonomous vehicle is cooperating with the investigation. We believe that another vehicle that was not an autonomous vehicle may have been initially involved in the collision, but the vehicle or driver were not present at the scene during our investigation. The SFPD Traffic Collision Investigations Unit is leading the investigation and is looking into the factors that lead to this collision. Anyone with information is asked to contact SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD. At the scene of any vehicle collision, we document what occurred by gathering evidence. This evidence includes the location of the vehicle and/or vehicles before, during and after the collision, which is why the vehicle was kept in its stationary position.

According to Cruise, “a human-driven vehicle struck a pedestrian while traveling in the lane immediately to the left of a Cruise AV. The initial impact was severe and launched the pedestrian directly in front of the AV.”

“The AV then braked aggressively to minimize the impact,” the company continued. “The driver of the other vehicle fled the scene, and at the request of the police the AV was kept in place.”

Cruise says it is “actively working with police to help identify the responsible driver,” including sharing video footage from its vehicle’s cameras with police, spokesperson Aaron Mclear said in an email. A spokesperson from the San Francisco Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The crash incident has yet to be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles, which requires all AV companies to report collisions .

• Robotaxis are driving on thin ice

In August, a Cruise robotaxi collided with a fire truck , injuring one passenger. In response, the company reduced the number of vehicles it had deployed by half while the city investigated the incident.

City officials, including transit, police, and fire departments, have expressed serious concerns about driverless vehicles intruding on emergency scenes, blocking intersections, and obstructing emergency vehicles. They have also been involved in a number of minor fender benders and rear-end collisions that have some residents worried about escalation as more are deployed.

Update October 3rd 9:23AM ET: Updated to include details from local news reports.

Update October 3rd 12:22PM ET: Updated to include a statement from SFPD.

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After disturbing week for Cruise robotaxis, state applies the brakes

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It was a week of robotaxi mayhem in San Francisco for the Cruise driverless car company — by turns bizarre, comic and alarming.

As a result, the California Department of Motor Vehicles said Friday it’s investigating “recent concerning incidents” involving Cruise vehicles while tapping the brakes on the company’s ambitious expansion plans.

The DMV didn’t say which incidents it’s probing, but over a seven-day period the events included:

— The bizarre, when a group of Cruise robotaxis drove together into the city’s North Beach district on the night of Aug. 11, froze in place , sat for 15 minutes blocking an intersection, then drove on. Cruise blamed cellphone service.

— The comic, when a Cruise robotaxi ignored construction signs on Tuesday and headed into a stretch of cement . Stuck in the wet muck, it was removed later by workers dispatched by Cruise.

— The alarming, when a Cruise robotaxi entered an intersection on a green light even as a fast-moving fire truck, l ights flashing and siren blaring , approached. The truck struck the car, occupied by one passenger, who was transported to a hospital. Cruise said the passenger sustained “what we believe are non-severe injuries.”

The day after the injury crash, the DMV announced its investigation and said Cruise agreed to halve the size of its fleet, to 50 robotaxis during the day and 150 at night. In a prepared statement, Cruise said it looks forward to working with the DMV and posted its version of events online.

San Francisco’s North Beach streets clogged as long line of Cruise robotaxis come to a standstill

Just one day after state officials approved massive robotaxi expansion in San Francisco, a long line of the driverless cars come to a standstill and clog traffic in North Beach neighborhood.

Aug. 12, 2023

The company plans to populate the city with thousands of robotaxis. Another company, Waymo, has similar plans. Cruise is owned by General Motors, Waymo by Alphabet, parent company of Google.

The DMV did not say how long its investigation might take. Another DMV investigation, into whether Tesla falsely advertises its driver-assist technology as “Full Self-Driving,” has been ongoing for two years and three months .

The latest robotaxi incidents occurred on the heels of a controversial California Public Utilities Commission vote Aug. 10 to approve massive expansion of robotaxis in San Francisco.

State legislators are becoming fed up with the state of driverless vehicle regulation in California. A bill is moving through the Legislature that would require human safety drivers in driverless trucks for at least the next five years. State Sen. Lena Gonzalez has expressed concern about the way the DMV regulates Tesla safety.

DMV Director Steve Gordon, a former Silicon Valley executive, was appointed to the post by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

San Francisco’s fire chief is fed up with robotaxis that mess with her firetrucks. And L.A. is next

As robotaxi companies plan to provide service in Los Angeles, San Francisco officials battle with state regulators over robotaxi safety.

June 22, 2023

Meantime, city officials in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Santa Monica and elsewhere are frustrated at how little control they have over robotaxi deployment in their cities.

The CPUC voted 3-1 to approve robotaxi expansion. The no vote was cast by Genevieve Shiroma, who said she was not against robotaxis but that it made sense to solve safety issues such as interference with emergency vehicles before expansion is approved.

Voting in favor of expansion was John Reynolds , whose previous job was that of top lawyer at Cruise.

All five members of the CPUC were appointed by Newsom. Newsom’s office declined to comment.

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March 16, 2024

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Driverless robotaxi crashes with fire truck in San Francisco; Passenger injured

Updated on: August 18, 2023 / 10:02 AM PDT / CBS San Francisco

A driverless robotaxi in San Francisco was involved in a collision with a fire truck in San Francisco Thursday evening, injuring the vehicle's passenger.

The crash happened at about 10:15 p.m. at Turk and Polk Streets just north of the Civic Center area. According to a firefighter at the scene, the Cruise driverless autonomous vehicle did not yield to the fire truck that was responding to a call nearby.

The truck hit the side of the car and triggered the vehicle's airbags. A woman in the back seat bumped her head and Cruise said in a statement Friday that the passenger was transported by ambulance "for what we believe are non-severe injuries."

Cruise also said it was investigating the crash and was in touch with city officials.

The collision came a day after San Francisco filed a motion asking the state to pause its implementation of expanded driverless car operations by both Cruise and Waymo. 

City officials called for the suspension of robotaxi rollouts following multiple reports of the vehicles causing traffic issues or interfering with first responders. On August 11, a day after Cruise and Waymo received authorization for expanded operations, Cruise vehicles brought traffic to a standstill in the North Beach neighborhood as some 10 disabled cars jammed traffic on Vallejo Street near Grant Avenue on a busy Friday night.

Cruise told KPIX that the Outside Lands Music Festival impacted its vehicles.

"They should take a time-out and a pause until they've perfected this technology in a way where people don't end up burning to death or getting injured," said San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin last week.

After city officials called for the pause in expanded robotaxi service Wednesday, Waymo gave KPIX a statement, saying, "We fully support the CPUC's carefully considered decision to authorize Waymo to charge fares for driverless rides. We will follow this development closely, and in the meantime, continue providing safe and accessible mobility to San Franciscans."

A spokesperson for Cruise said in a statement, "The CPUC's decision was the result of a months-long process that saw public input and support from accessibility groups, labor unions, and community advocates--culminating in a six-hour public comment period where the majority supported expanded AV access. It's unfortunate to see the city use public resources to bypass that decision and restrict a technology with an excellent safety record used by tens of thousands of SF residents."

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Cruise robotaxi involved in a crash with fire truck, one passenger injured

A Cruise robotaxi and an emergency vehicle crashed late Thursday night and left a passenger injured. The crash is the latest in a string of incidents that occurred this week after winning approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to expand commercial operations in San Francisco.

Cruise posted a few details about the crash on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. Cruise said one of its self-driving Chevy Bolt EVs entered an intersection on a green traffic light at Polk and Turk streets when it was struck by an emergency vehicle that appeared to be en route to an emergency scene. A video posted by FriscoLive415 that includes police scanner information shows the airbags deployed in the vehicle and the passenger was complaining of a headache.

A Cruise spokesperson said the company would provide an update as soon as it can.

Cruise, self-driving vehicle subsidiary under GM, said there was one passenger in the car, who was “treated on scene and transported via ambulance for what we believe are non-severe injuries.”

The company also added it would investigate to better understand the performance of its autonomous vehicles and will be in touch with the City of San Francisco about the event.

The crash, which occurred around 10 p.m. Thursday, comes a day after San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed motions with the CPUC to pause the firms’ plans to charge for robotaxi rides in the city at all hours. Chiu’s arguments parallel comments made by residents and other city officials during a public hearing ahead of the CPUC’s vote.

San Francisco presses CPUC to halt Waymo, Cruise robotaxi expansions

Despite opposition, the CPUC voted to approve Cruise and Waymo’s final permit that allows both companies to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, charge for all driverless rides and expand their fleets. In the past week however, Cruise has had a series of snafus, including at least 10 of its driverless cars reportedly stalling and blocking traffic, which threatens to derail its commercial plans.

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Cruise robotaxi crashes into firetruck in San Francisco

The cruise driverless vehicle was transporting one person at the time of the crash.

Cruise car collides with San Francisco Fire Department truck

The driverless car allegedly did not yield to the firetruck's flashing lights as it went through an intersection Aug. 17, 2022. (Credit: John Freeman)

An autonomous vehicle belonging to Cruise’s robotaxi fleet and a fire truck collided during a late-night wreck in San Francisco last week, according to both city police and the company.

In a post Friday morning on social media site X, formerly Twitter, Cruise said the two vehicles slammed into each other Thursday night in a downtown intersection while the company’s driverless car was transporting one person. 

The crash with the emergency vehicle, which Cruise said "appeared to be en route to an emergency scene," happened after the robotaxi "entered the intersection on a green light," according to its post.

The fire truck was "operating in a ‘Code 3’ emergency mode" that included activated lights and sirens at the time, a San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) spokesperson told FOX Business. Officers responded around 10:20 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO ROBOTAXIS CAUSE TRAFFIC ‘FIASCO' DAY AFTER EXPANSION APPROVED

Photos of the incident suggested the Cruise robotaxi sustained damage to its right side, particularly on its doors. The airbags also appeared to have deployed, according to the pictures. 

A driverless Cruise was involved in a crash in San Francisco Aug. 17, 2023. | Fox News

Cruise said in a blog post Friday its autonomous vehicle "positively identified the emergency vehicle almost immediately as it came into view, which is consistent with our underlying safety design and expectation."

The company said "several factors" added to the "complexity of this specific incident." It pointed to the intersection being "significantly occluded by buildings" making "visual identification more challenging" and said the fire truck "was in the oncoming lane of traffic, which it had moved into to bypass the red light," something that made tracking its path more "complicated." 

"The Cruise AV did identify the risk of a collision and initiated a braking maneuver, reducing its speed, but was ultimately unable to avoid the collision," Cruise said. 

Employees wearing florescent jackets labeled "Cruise" were at the crash site after the accident, according to a photo. Footage also showed a tow truck arrived to assist with the response. 

A driverless Cruise sits at an intersection after a crash in San Francisco Aug. 17, 2023. | Fox News

Cruise said it has "been in contact to offer support and will remain in touch" with the individual riding in the robotaxi that got hit. That person went to the hospital for "non-life-threatening injuries," a SFPD spokesperson told FOX Business. 

CALIFORNIA DMV REQUESTS CRUISE TO HALVE DRIVERLESS CAR FLEET AFTER COLLISION WITH FIRETRUCK IN SAN FRANCISCO

In a statement, the California Department of Motor Vehicles told Fox News Digital it had "requested Cruise to immediately reduce its active fleet of operating vehicles by 50% until the investigation is complete and Cruise takes appropriate corrective actions to improve road safety." 

That request was made a day after the accident.

A driverless Cruise sits at an intersection following a collision in San Francisco Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023. According to an eyewitness, the driverless car failed to yield to the firetruck’s emergency lights as it passed through an intersection, resulting in the crash. | Fox News

The General Motors subsidiary said in its blog post Friday it would "continue to work in partnership with regulators and city departments on EMV interactions to reduce the likelihood of incidents like these happening again."

Cruise and another autonomous vehicle company, Waymo, have had clearance to operate at all hours in San Francisco since Aug. 10. 

SAN FRANCISCO ROBOTAXI EXPANSION APPROVED BY CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION DESPITE SAFETY CONCERNS

In addition to San Francisco, Cruise has driverless taxi rides available in Austin and Phoenix, according to its website. The company said Tuesday on social media it had kicked off conducting some initial testing in Raleigh, North Carolina, something it has done in other cities previously.

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.

Cruise hid video of woman being dragged along San Francisco street, DMV says

• Copy link to this article

California Department of Motor Vehicles officials say Cruise didn’t show regulators complete footage of an Oct. 2 incident in Downtown San Francisco where a robotaxi dragged a woman after she was hit by a human driver.

The DMV suspended Cruise’s driverless taxi permits on Tuesday morning, immediately halting both the company’s robotaxi deployment and its ability to test its autonomous vehicles without a safety driver present. The suspension affects not only Cruise’s operations in San Francisco, but also across the state.

The DMV linked the company’s suspension to the Oct. 2 hit-and-run where a woman was struck by a human driver and was thrown into the path of the AV—named Panini—near Fifth and Market Streets.

After the point of impact, the Cruise vehicle came to a stop with the woman trapped underneath. However, the Cruise then attempted to pull over while the pedestrian was under the vehicle, which dragged her for around 20 feet at a speed of 7 mph before coming to a final stop. 

According to orders of suspension sent to Cruise on Tuesday, the DMV wrote that it met with Cruise representatives and the California Highway Patrol to discuss the accident before being shown footage captured by the AV’s onboard cameras.

RELATED : Explainer: A Brief History of Robotaxis in San Francisco

However, the video that was initially shown ran only to the point when the Cruise stopped for the first time. 

“Footage of the subsequent movement of the AV to perform a pullover maneuver was not shown to the [DMV] and Cruise did not disclose that any additional movement of the vehicle had occurred after the initial stop,” the DMV wrote in the order. 

The DMV wrote that it learned of the subsequent movement “via discussion with another government agency.”

The company disputes that it hid the footage or information from the DMV. Cruise spokesperson Hannah Lindlow said the company showed the complete video to the DMV multiple times during a meeting on Oct. 3 and later provided a copy of the full video to the agency.

READ MORE: Authorities ID Man Who Died After Robotaxi Allegedly Blocked San Francisco Ambulance

Cruise representatives noted that the human driver who initially struck the pedestrian is still at large. Cruise employees “are currently doing an analysis to identify potential enhancements to the AV’s response to this kind of extremely rare event.”

In laying out the basis for Cruise’s suspension, the DMV cited a number of statutes in the California Code of Regulations. In its explanation of how Cruise’s vehicles were unsafe for the public, the DMV referred to the vehicle pulling over, which “increased the risk of and may have caused further injury to the pedestrian.”

Firefighters responded to Fifth and Market at 9:35 p.m. within 60 seconds and worked to secure the vehicle and free the woman. She was then transported to San Francisco General Hospital with “multiple traumatic injuries,” San Francisco Fire Department spokesperson Justin Schorr said at the time.

The Standard was unable to confirm the woman’s condition on Tuesday.

The omission of additional information and footage in Cruise’s initial meeting with DMV “hinders the ability of the department to effectively and timely evaluate the safe operation of Cruise’s vehicles and puts the safety of the public at risk,” the order stated. 

The DMV said Cruise has five days to request a hearing over its deployment permit and up to 60 days to request a hearing for its driverless testing permit.

“To reinstate their permits, Cruise will need to provide the department with information regarding how it has addressed the deficiencies that led to the suspensions,” according to the DMV.

“When there is an unreasonable risk to public safety, the DMV can immediately suspend or revoke permits. There is no set time for a suspension,” the department wrote in a statement. As a result of the suspension, law enforcement officers can impound any Cruise autonomous vehicle operating without a driver. 

According to an earnings report from Cruise’s parent company, General Motors, Cruise earned $25 million in revenue in the third quarter against $833 million in costs and expenses. Cruise reported $791 million of losses between July and September before taxes. 

Kevin Truong can be reached at [email protected]

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California to fine GM’s unit Cruise for delaying report on San Francisco accident

(Reuters) – A California regulator said on Thursday it is imposing the maximum penalty possible on General Motors’ Cruise unit for its failure to promptly provide complete information to the commission about an accident involving one of its self-driving vehicles last year.

Cruise did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Cruise along with other self-driving vehicle companies like Alphabet’s Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox have come under heavy scrutiny from regulators arising out of safety concerns due to multiple crashes involving their vehicles.

BY THE NUMBERS

Cruise will pay the maximum penalty allowable by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), totaling $112,500, which equates to a $7,500 fine for each of the 15 days during which Cruise withheld information about the incident, the regulator said.

Cruise will also provide “collision reports” to the CPUC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for collisions occurring in California.

The decision from the CPUC comes a few months after Cruise had raised its offer to resolve a probe by the regulator over its delay in disclosing details of a pedestrian crash.

On Oct. 2, in San Francisco, a pedestrian was struck by another car and hit a second time by a Cruise robotaxi.

Cruise’s permit to operate in California was suspended and the NHTSA issued a recall of its vehicles after the incident.

Cruise had resumed operations in the U.S. with a small fleet of human-driven vehicles in Phoenix, Arizona in April, but Cruise’s authority to provide passenger service in its autonomous vehicles remains suspended, the CPUC said on Thursday.

(Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)

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Video shows bus and truck colliding in Moscow, not two electric vehicles crashing in Canada

If your time is short.

Satellite imagery shows that this video was taken in Moscow, not Canada. 

Media reports of the explosion said it was caused by a truck containing gas cylinders colliding with a bus. 

The video shows a fire in the middle of the road. Several explosions occur in quick succession and debris shoots off, trailing more fire. Another explosion follows seconds after, emitting a plume of dark smoke.

"Two electric vehicles in a crash in Canada," reads the video’s caption in a May 18 Facebook post . "Apparently fire fighters won’t go anywhere near an electric vehicle fire."

The post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta , which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

Reverse-image search showed that this video has been around since at least July 2013 , and the Facebook caption got the explosion’s location wrong. Keyword searches revealed that this video showed a crash in Moscow, not Canada.

Fact-checkers including Agence France-Presse , The Quint and Fact Crescendo have also debunked similar claims, reporting that the video shows a Moscow crash.

On July 13, 2013, the date displayed in one dashcam video of the incident, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that an Isuzu truck carrying 119 gas cylinders collided with a bus, and the containers detonated upon crashing. The report did not say whether either vehicle was electric.

Featured Fact-check

Multiple videos captured different angles of the incident. PolitiFact used satellite imagery from Google Earth Pro and Google Maps to verify that it took place in Moscow, on the road E115.

In the illustration below, every colored box represents matching features between the footage and the Google Maps location.

(Screenshots from Facebook, Google Maps)

Features surrounding this section of the road matched features shown in the video, such as two tall buildings in the back and a covered structure on the right. The traffic signs are also similarly placed.

This video doesn’t show two electric vehicles colliding in Canada. We rate that claim False.

PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

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Facebook post ( archived ), May 18, 2024

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Agence France-Presse, Highway explosion video misrepresented as EV collision , Aug. 3, 2023

The Quint, Fact-Check: Does This Video Show an Accident Between Two Electric Vehicles? , July 29, 2023

Fact Crescendo, Old Video From Moscow Shared As Electric Vehicle Collision , Aug. 1, 2023

RIA Novosti, As a result of a truck accident on the Moscow Ring Road, 119 gas cylinders exploded (translated by Google), July 13, 2013

AiF-Moscow, More than 100 gas cylinders exploded as a result of a truck accident on the Moscow Ring Road , July 13, 2013

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Maine man to spend 30 days in jail for role in deadly Somerset County crash

by WGME Staff

SKOWHEGAN (WGME) -- A Maine man will spend a minimum of 30 days behind bars for his role in a crash that killed two women in Somerset County.

According to the Morning Sentinel, 35-year-old Eric Tankerley of Moscow was sentenced on Monday to five years with all but 30 days suspended.

• Also read: Maine man indicted on manslaughter charges for fatal Somerset County crash

In May 2022, Tankerley hit his friends’ truck from behind as he tried passing it on Route 201 near the town of Caratunk, causing the truck to spin into a tree.

Both 25-year-old Jordan Merchant, and her passenger, 28-year-old Lindsey Walsh, were killed.

Officials cited speed and alcohol as factors in the crash.

• Also read: 'Highly intoxicated' driver causes chain reaction crash in Raymond, police say

According to the Morning Sentinel, Tankerley was originally charged with two counts of manslaughter, two counts of aggravated criminal operating under the influence, and criminal speed, and driving to endanger. A new charge of driving to endanger was brought forward on Monday, which Tankerley pleaded guilty to. The other charges were dismissed.

After Tankerley is released, he will be on supervised release for two years, according to the Morning Sentinel.

Brand-New Toyota Land Cruiser Reduced to a Wreck in Major Crash

T he exact location of this unfortunate incident remains unknown, adding an air of mystery to the story. Photos circulating online focus solely on the wrecked Land Cruiser, leaving any other involved vehicles out of sight. Judging by the alloy wheels and roof rack, it's likely the First Edition trim with a black exterior.

A Side Impact Gone Wrong

Speculation suggests the accident could have been caused by a side-impact collision with a truck , explaining the concentrated damage to the upper portion of the SUV. Interestingly, the front bumper appears relatively unscathed, indicating that the impact wasn't head-on. The extent and pattern of the damage further support the side-impact theory.

Extent of the Damage

The front upper section of the SUV bears the brunt of the damage, with the hood, headlights, fender, and door skin ripped away, exposing the engine's internal components. The shattered windshield further emphasizes the severity of the impact. While the extent of any injuries is unknown, the cabin's condition suggests that the driver and passengers may have escaped serious harm, though undoubtedly shaken by the experience.

The severe damage to the powertrain, a bent A-pillar, and multiple cracked or missing body panels classify this Land Cruiser as a total loss. The extensive repairs required to restore the vehicle to its original state would likely exceed its actual value. The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser First Edition carries a base price of $74,950. Fortunately, insurance will likely cover the damages for the owner. However, finding a replacement of the same model might prove challenging, as the vehicle was in high demand upon its release, commanding premiums of up to $30,000.

‘Not all patients are humans’: 14 puppies rescued from rollover vehicle crash

WOODSTOCK, CT ( WFSB /Gray News) - Fourteen puppies were rescued from a rollover crash that closed a road in Woodstock, Connecticut Thursday morning.

Several fire agencies responded to Senexet Road between Laurel and Bull Hill roads for a single-vehicle rollover accident involving wires down.

Firefighters found a pole that had snapped, with wires down, and called Eversource CT to disable the power. Power was out in the area while the electricians worked.

Officials say minor injuries were originally reported, but no one ended up being hurt.

First responders also rescued and provided care for 14 puppies at the scene. the Muddy Brook Fire Department shared photos on Facebook of firefighters interacting with the puppies.

The Necogg Humane Society and a doctor from Peake Brook Veterinary Center responded to the scene to provide veterinary care and shelter to the animals, firefighters said. Some puppies will be taken to a veterinary office for further care.

Drivers were warned to expect a “long duration road closure.”

Copyright 2024 WFSB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Woman back home after falling ill on cruise, being hospitalized in the Dominican Republic

ATLANTA ( WANF /Gray News) - Loretta Cox is back home and reunited with her family after a medical emergency while overseas led to her being in a coma in the Dominican Republic.

It was thanks to the community’s help she could be medically flown back to the United States.

“It was amazing to see it and to live to tell it — the love that people had shown,” said Cox. “I got to my driveway and I started crying. I couldn’t get out of the car without crying, because I was just so overjoyed that I was home.”

She had a terrifying ordeal on what should have been a dream vacation.

While on a Carnival cruise to the Bahamas a few weeks ago, she said she had been enjoying her evening, when she suddenly felt like she needed to lie down.

“As I was headed to my room, I was getting short of breath,” she said.

Since she has asthma, she thought she may just need her inhaler. All she remembered were two teens calling the medic and a woman assisting her before it went dark.

“Because her lungs filled up with fluid, her lungs collapsed, and that’s why she had to be placed on a ventilator,” said her daughter, Aldes Brooks.

Cox was taken to the nearest hospital in the Dominican Republic, where she stayed for two days in a coma in the intensive care unit.

“It was a money game,” said Brooks. “It was like we were paying a ransom to keep our mother alive.”

The total cost for those two days, she said, was about $50,000.

Word spread quickly, through social media and word of mouth, that her mother needed help, and in just 24 hours, community members donated the roughly $25,000 needed for a medical air transport back to the United States.

“It was friends. It was family. It was church members. It was strangers, people who had seen her at Walmart!” Brooks said.

Cox was treated at Broward Health in Fort Lauderdale for about a week when she finally woke up, her husband by her side.

“I was so happy to see a familiar face when I woke up!” she said.

Cox said she is beyond grateful to the people who helped her and gave her the precious gift of time with her children and grandchildren.

“Thank you,” she said. “Cherish each day you have. Cherish it.”

She is now undergoing testing at Emory to figure out what caused the fluid buildup in her lungs that day.

Brooks said they had to pay out-of-pocket because her mother did not have medical travel insurance.

They now advise, whether going on a cruise or traveling in general, to purchase it and look up what all it includes.

They also encourage people traveling to places where you do not necessarily need a passport, like the Bahamas, to get one anyway.

Cox said she would have had a much harder time getting back into the U.S. from the Dominican Republic without it.

She’s getting settled back in LaGrange and feeling much better.

There is an online fundraiser for those who still want to help donate to her medical expenses.

Copyright 2024 WANF via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Fiery truck crash in Philadelphia closes stretch of I-95, possibly for months

Interstate 95, the main roadway between the East Coast's two largest cities, New York City and Philadelphia, will be closed for months after a tanker fire caused a section to collapse, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Sunday.

An elevated section of northbound lanes in northeast Philadelphia collapsed, trapping the tanker truck and whoever was inside beneath 500 tons of concrete, steel and rubble, at about 6:20 a.m. Sunday.

Shapiro called the scene “a remarkably devastating site.”

Corresponding elevated southbound lanes were found to lack structural integrity, prompting closure of the entire freeway, he said.

No deaths or injuries were reported, but first responders had yet to get to the tanker truck or any possible occupants, officials said. The fire was still smoldering but otherwise under control, they said.

A disaster declaration will be made Monday, Shapiro said, allowing the state to quickly tap federal funds and start rebuilding the roadway.

"We expect that to take a number of months," he said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Officials urged Philadelphians to avoid the area and plan on alternate routes for Monday’s morning commute as they work out a plan for temporary detours and added public transportation options.

“I-95, of course, is a critical roadway,” Shapiro said. “It supports our economy and plays an important role in folks’ everyday lives.”

State Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll said the segment of freeway carries roughly 160,000 vehicles a day and is most likely the busiest interstate in Pennsylvania.

The Eastern Transportation Coalition, a partnership of 17 states, says the roadway and its associated corridor, which reaches from nearly the tip of Florida to the Canadian border, carries nearly $200 billion in goods and services related to ports along the route.

Shapiro said the tanker was carrying some kind of petroleum product.

There were 8,500 gallons of product in the tanker, a Coast Guard spokesperson said. The Coast Guard sent a boat to the scene to examine the impact on the water, but it seems no gasoline has made it to the Delaware River.

There was some "sheening," an iridescent appearance on the surface of the water, but it appeared confined to a nearby cove, the spokesperson said.

All lanes of the highway are shut down for about 10 miles between Academy Avenue (exit 32) to the north and the Betsy Ross Bridge (exit 26) to the south, state transportation officials said.

"The roadway is gone," unnamed officials told NBC Philadelphia.

Runoff from fuel or gas lines from the burning truck has also caused explosions underground, Philadelphia Fire Capt. Derrick Bowmer told reporters.

“We will be here for a while,” he said. “We have fire coming out of those manholes.”

A video a driver posted on social media early Sunday appeared to show plumes of black smoke rising above the highway.

Bowmer said that officials received a call about an accident at 6:22 a.m. and that it was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told people on Twitter to avoid the area and plan for alternative travel routes, and he thanked first responders for their work.

Shapiro t weet ed that he has been briefed and that first responders and transportation officials were on the scene. He added that he and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis were "closely coordinating" with officials in the state, throughout New Jersey and in the federal government.

"For now, please avoid the area and follow the direction of the first responders on the scene," h e wrote .

President Joe Biden was briefed and has been in touch with Shapiro and the Philadelphia mayor's office, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted that he was "closely monitoring" the situation and coordinating with officials.

"I've been in touch with [the Federal Highway Administration] and spoke with Gov. Shapiro to offer any assistance that USDOT can provide to help with recovery and reconstruction," he tweeted .

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is coordinating with Pennsylvania State Police in an investigation of the cause of the fire. It was sending a team that includes specialists in motor carrier and hazardous materials safety, highway reconstruction and how first responders reacted to the emergency.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Emergency Agency directed questions to local officials.

A spokesperson for the state police said in a statement that the agency is working with Philadelphia police to control and reroute traffic.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation said that its officials are "actively engaged" in the response to the incident.

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Ukraine war latest: Russian officials 'thrown out of meeting' for breaking custom; new photos emerge of Putin and Kim's day out

Vladimir Putin has arrived in Vietnam for a state visit after he spent the day in North Korea yesterday, where he signed a defence pact with Kim Jong Un. Got a question on the Ukraine war? Submit it below for our specialists to answer.

Thursday 20 June 2024 19:16, UK

• Vladimir Putin arrives in Vietnam for state visit
• Russia and North Korea sign new defence deal
• Russian officials 'thrown out of meeting' for breaking custom
• South Korea condemns pact and says it will reconsider weapons for Ukraine
• New photos emerge of Putin and Kim's day out
• Analysis: Putin wants to prove he still has friends
• Listen to the Daily above and tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts

Ask a question or make a comment

That's all of our live coverage on the conflict for now. 

We'll bring you any major developments overnight, and we'll be back with our regular updates in the morning. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is "deeply grateful" for Joe Biden's decision to prioritise air defence deliveries for Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian president said his country was in critical need of the capabilities to protect its cities and civilians from Russian attacks. 

"The partnership between Ukraine and the United States is strong and unwavering. Together, we are protecting life against terror and aggression," he added. 

It comes after the US said a recent defence pact signed by Russia and North Korea was a "cause for concern". 

The recently signed defence pact between Russia and North Korea is a cause of concern but is no surprise, the White House has said.

Speaking to reporters, White House spokesman John Kirby said the agreement between the two countries was a sign of Russia's desperation for foreign assistance in the Ukraine war.

The deal has seen both countries vow to help each other if they faced armed aggression, and replaces previous treaties between the countries. 

Russia said the pact was needed because of "the deep evolution of the geopolitical situation in the world and the region".

Mr Kirby also said the US would reprioritise planned deliveries of foreign military equipment to go to Ukraine, which is in "desperate need" of more air defence capabilities.

Vladimir Putin has warned that South Korea would be making a "big mistake" if it decides to supply weapons to Ukraine. 

The Russian president's comments come after South Korea said a new defence agreement between North Korea and Moscow was "absurd" and it would reconsider sending arms to Kyiv as a result. 

Mr Putin said Seoul had nothing to worry about when it came to the mutual defence pact. 

Russian state media quoted him as saying that Moscow expected its cooperation with North Korea to serve as a deterrent to the West. 

He also refused to rule out supplying high-precision weapons to the country. 

Russia is considering making changes to its nuclear weapons doctrine, Vladimir Putin has said. 

The Russian president made the comments while speaking to reporters at the end of his Vietnam trip. 

The existing doctrine states that Russia may use such weapons in response to a nuclear strike or in the event of a conventional attack that poses an existential threat to the country. 

Ukrainian troops have been launching mid-range reconnaissance drones in Kharkiv.

Russian forces crossed into parts of the northeastern region last month, and officials claim they have seized at least a dozen villages.

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Kyiv's forces are gradually pushing Russian troops out of the contested area.

A police search is under way for a woman who allegedly desecrated the graves of Ukrainian soldiers.

Kyiv city's prosecutor's office said the unknown woman vandalised the graves this morning. 

Commemorative plaques and lamps were torn off and broken, it said.

The Ukrainian flag was also "mutilated", it added.

"Operational investigations and searches are being carried out to establish the woman's identity," the office said in post on Telegram. 

If caught and found guilty, the woman could face up to five years in prison. 

We have been reporting today on Vladimir Putin's visit to Vietnam.

Here is a recap of what the Russian president has been up to: 

• Mr Putin signed a series of deals with his Vietnamese counterpart To Lam during his state visit;
• The two leaders signed agreements to further co-operation on education, science and technology, oil and gas exploration and health;
• They also agreed to work on a road map for a nuclear science and technology centre in Vietnam;
• Following the talks, Mr Putin said that the two countries share an interest in "developing a reliable security architecture" in the Asia-Pacific region based on not using force and peacefully settling disputes with no room for "closed military-political blocs";
• The Russian leader also met Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and is scheduled to meet Communist Party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong - Vietnam's most powerful politician;
• The trip has resulted in a sharp rebuke from the US embassy in the country.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Romania's decision to provide his country with two Patriot air defence systems will strengthen security in Ukraine and throughout Europe.

"This crucial contribution will bolster our air shield and help us better protect our people and critical infrastructure from Russian air terror," the Ukrainian president said on X.

The Patriot, which stands for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target, is a surface-to-air missile defence system.

For months now, Ukraine has been calling for countries to provide more air defence systems to help protect it from Russian attacks. 

The next NATO leader is now all but certain after Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's last rival dropped out of the race.

He's now the only person running to be Jens Stoltenberg's successor when he steps down from the secretary-general role in October. 

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis dropped out of the race earlier today and Hungary lifted its veto on Mr Rutte's candidacy, paving the way for NATO to put on a show of unity over support for Ukraine.

Mr Rutte's appointment could be sealed by a meeting of NATO ambassadors in the coming days, or by the leaders when they meet in Washington in July for the alliance's 75th birthday.

NATO secretaries-general are responsible for chairing meetings and guiding consultations among the 32 member countries to ensure that the organisation, which operates on consensus, can continue to function.

Mr Rutte has already had to assure Hungary that he will not force it to take part in NATO plans to provide support to Ukraine.

Turkey, which had voiced opposition to Mr Rutte's bid earlier this year, has also lifted its objections. 

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