Timeline of the Cybertruck Explosion: How Did the Vehicle Reach Las Vegas?
Officials have started to unravel the timeline concerning the individual believed to have driven the Tesla Cybertruck that detonated on New Year’s Day in Las Vegas.
Matthew Livelsberger, age 37, has been named as the person who rented the Cybertruck several days prior in Colorado before driving it to Las Vegas. Due to the severe burns on the body discovered inside the vehicle post-explosion, authorities stated they could not definitively identify the victim as Livelsberger; however, they gathered sufficient evidence to suspect he was indeed the driver.
The explosion occurred on Wednesday morning, shortly before 9 a.m., in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill, it is believed that Livelsberger shot himself in the head just before the explosion.
Although there are notable similarities, investigators have stated they have found no evidence linking this explosion to the tragic incident that occurred in New Orleans just a few hours earlier. As of now, Livelsberger’s motives are still unclear.
Below are the details regarding Livelsberger’s travels with the Cybertruck leading up to the explosion, as provided by authorities:
Cybertruck Rented Days Before in Colorado
Authorities reported that they traced the route of Livelsberger and the Cybertruck using records from Tesla charging stations and surveillance photos from traffic cameras.
Dec. 28: Livelsberger rents the Cybertruck in Denver, Colorado, via the car-sharing service Turo.
Dec. 30: The Cybertruck is charged in Monument, Colorado. That same day, Livelsberger legally acquired two semi-automatic handguns, as stated by Kenny Cooper, assistant special agent in charge of ATF’s San Francisco field division.
Dec. 31: The Cybertruck was charged at four different locations: Trinidad, Colorado; Las Vegas, New Mexico; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Gallup, New Mexico.
Jan. 1: The Cybertruck received charges in Holbrook, Flagstaff, and Kingman, Arizona. The last charge took place at 5:33 a.m. in Kingman, which is approximately 100 miles from Las Vegas.
On the Day of the Explosion
Authorities confirmed that the Cybertruck arrived in Las Vegas on the morning of January 1.
7:29 a.m.: The Cybertruck was first identified in Las Vegas.
7:34 a.m.: The Cybertruck was observed making a turn onto Fashion Show Drive, where the Trump International Hotel is located.
7:34 to 8:35 a.m.: The Cybertruck went through the valet at the Trump hotel and then spent the next hour driving around various locations along Las Vegas Boulevard, spending nearly 45 minutes parked in an area near Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road.
8:35 a.m.: The Cybertruck was spotted entering Las Vegas Boulevard from Sands Avenue.
8:39 a.m.: The Cybertruck returned to the valet area of the Trump hotel. Just 17 seconds later, the vehicle exploded, with the driver reportedly shooting himself moments prior, according to McMahill.
The explosion resulted in the driver’s death and left seven others injured.