

Lifestyle
Tesla owner evades tragedy after Model 3 gets hit by 37-pound boulder
When Tesla Model 3 owner Jade Insko left his home this past Monday, he thought his drive heading to his workplace would be just like any other. As Insko drove east on Highway 14 near Cape Horn, WA, though, a freak accident happened. Out of the blue, a 37-pound boulder crashed into his electric car. The impact was massive, shattering a large part of the Model 3’s windshield. The rock also bent the steering column, split the dash, and moved the practically immovable 15″ center touchscreen before landing in the passenger seat.
“All of a sudden, my car just seemed to explode as this 37-pound rock flew through the windshield, smashed into the dashboard, and bounced directly into the passenger seat,” the Model 3 owner said.
Relating his story to a local news outlet, the Model 3 owner stated that it took him a second before he could process the freak accident. Fortunately, his Model 3, bent steering column and split dashboard and all, was still able to move. Insko was eventually able to pull over to the side of the road, despite being unable to see due to glass in his eyes and face.
- [Credit: Ryan Nisle/Facebook]
- [Credit: Ryan Nisle/Facebook]
Jade Insko’s Tesla Model 3 after the accident. [Credit: Ryan Nisle/Facebook]
“I just pulled forward slowly with my hazards on. I couldn’t see anything, I had glass in my face and eyes and a giant hole in my windshield,” he said.
Insko was alone in his vehicle, and fortunately enough, he was largely unharmed. He had some minor injuries due to glass from the shattered windshield, but other than that, Insko was fine. His prized Model 3, though, was extensively damaged. Apart from the main impact from the 37-pound boulder, the Model 3’s front end was also damaged due to other rocks on the road, which the car hit while it was pulling over. In a later statement to KGW8 News, Insko noted that he and his family were shaken by the experience.
“I have a wife and two young children, (ages) 7 and 8, and it hit them hard as well. Knowing that could have been, in an instant, the end,” he said.
- [Credit: Ryan Nisle/Facebook]
- [Credit: Ryan Nisle/Facebook]
Jade Insko’s Tesla Model 3 after the accident. [Credit: Ryan Nisle/Facebook]
While the freak accident could have ended on a tragic note, Insko has nonetheless adopted a rather positive take on the incident. After the crash, the Model 3 owner decided to keep the boulder that hit his car. He plans to keep it in his yard as a monument and a reminder about how bad things could have been.
Tesla’s electric cars have a reputation for being some of the safest vehicles on the road. Thanks to their all-electric design, Tesla’s vehicles have large crumple zones and a low center of gravity. Just this past September, the Model 3 earned a stellar 5-Star Safety Rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In the days that followed the announcement, Tesla released a follow-up blog post stating that among the vehicles tested by the NHTSA, the Model 3 stands as the car that has the lowest probability of injury.
Teslas have been involved in freak accidents in the past. Last September alone, a Model X owner from Texas was driving through Sugar Land when it was hit by an actual crashing airplane. The aircraft in the incident was owned by the DEA, and according to later reports, the crash was caused by a mechanical failure. The pilot was able to conduct an emergency landing on the road, but during the maneuver, the aircraft clipped several power lines and hit some vehicles, including the Model X. Thanks to the electric SUV’s durability, the Model X’s driver and his companion were able to escape from the accident unharmed.
Lifestyle
EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry
Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.
The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry.
A strategic fit
Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.
That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.
“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”
Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”
Enabling the next wave
Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.
“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.
The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.
Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.
In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”
Elon Musk
X account with 184 followers inadvertently saves US space program amid Musk-Trump row
Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

An X user with 184 followers has become the unlikely hero of the United States’ space program by effectively de-escalating a row between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on social media.
Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.
A Near Fall
During Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s fallout last week, the U.S. President stated in a post on Truth Social that a good way for the United States government to save money would be to terminate subsidies and contracts from the CEO’s companies. Musk responded to Trump’s post by stating that SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.
Musk’s comment was received with shock among the space community, partly because the U.S. space program is currently reliant on SpaceX to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Without Dragon, the United States will likely have to utilize Russia’s Soyuz for the same services—at a significantly higher price.
X User to the Rescue
It was evident among X users that Musk’s comments about Dragon being decommissioned were posted while emotions were high. It was then no surprise that an X account with 184 followers, @Fab25june, commented on Musk’s post, urging the CEO to rethink his decision. “This is a shame this back and forth. You are both better than this. Cool off and take a step back for a couple days,” the X user wrote in a reply.
Much to the social media platform’s surprise, Musk responded to the user. Even more surprising, the CEO stated that SpaceX would not be decommissioning Dragon after all. “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Not Planned, But Welcomed
The X user’s comment and Musk’s response were received extremely well by social media users, many of whom noted that @Fab25june’s X comment effectively saved the U.S. space program. In a follow-up comment, the X user, who has over 9,100 followers as of writing, stated that he did not really plan on being a mediator between Musk and Trump.
“Elon Musk replied to me. Somehow, I became the accidental peace broker between two billionaires. I didn’t plan this. I was just being me. Two great minds can do wonders. Sometimes, all it takes is a breather. Grateful for every like, DM, and new follow. Life’s weird. The internet’s weirder. Let’s ride. (Manifesting peace… and maybe a Model Y.)” the X user wrote.
Lifestyle
Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger
The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail.
A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.
Charging Charger Fails
As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.
Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.
Alleged Aftermath
As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.
The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.
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