Gilbert Arenas blames Cybertruck malfunction for son Alijah's crash

A terrifying car crash hospitalized USC commit Alijah Arenas in late April, and his father is pointing to a fault with his Tesla Cybertruck as the reason for the accident. Arenas continues to recover from smoke inhalation following the crash.

His father, Gilbert Arenas, explained in a recent interview on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes that the vehicle was at fault. Arenas was riding around in a Tesla Cybertruck.

According to the elder Arenas, the “steering wheel went limp” on his son. That caused Alijah Arenas to lose control of the vehicle.

As was reported at the time, he struck a fire hydrant and then smashed into a tree. Arenas was then unable to get out of the vehicle for several minutes as the vehicle caught fire.

Bystanders who witnessed the crash were eventually able to help Alijah Arenas exit the vehicle safely. The superstar recruit could then be seen on video lying in the pooling water where the hydrant had begun leaking, seemingly attempting to cool off and possibly rinse his throat.

Following the accident, Arenas was placed into an induced coma. That is a common treatment for heavy smoke inhalation.

Regardless, the whole ordeal had to be terrifying for both Alijah Arenas and Gilbert Arenas. The latter commented shortly after the incident, thanking the bystanders who helped save his son’s life.

“I want to thank Jose, Bryant, and Robert for saving Alijah – he can’t wait to meet you guys,” Gilbert Arenas wrote on Twitter. “Truly grateful to everyone for the prayers, love, and support during his healing. Much love.

“Funny enough, Alijah told his boys way back: ‘If I’m ever in a coma, don’t bring flowers. Bust in rapping ‘I might swerve, bend that corner, woah’ by Gelo like it’s the national anthem.’ Because nothing screams perfect timing like saying ‘Swerve on that corner, woah’… right after you actually did. Into a tree. Into a hospital stay. WELCOME HOME.”

Following his release from the hospital, Alijah Arenas’ family released a statement. They noted recovery would be ongoing.

“While his journey to full recovery is just beginning, his spirit remains strong, and he is surrounded by love and support,” the family said. “The Govan and Arenas family are preparing for the road ahead with faith and determination, committed to nurturing Alijah back to 100%. He remains blessed, resilient, and in high spirits.”