— Exploding airbags manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System of China recently caused U.S. safety regulators to open a federal investigation following six fatalities.
One of those deaths involved Destiny Marie Byassee, 22, who was driving a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu when the front airbag exploded and killed her.
According to a lawsuit filed by her family, it was a counterfeit airbag supplied by Detiannuo that killed Ms. Byassee by sending shards of metal into her neck, face and head.
Ms. Byassee was wearing a seat belt at the time of the June 2023 crash, but photos of the scene show a frontal airbag shredded by metal and plastic from the airbag inflator that exploded.
Her family complains the frontal collision of the Chevy Malibu should have never killed her, but they claim multiple companies in addition to Detiannuo caused her death.
The lawsuit includes Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Jilin Province Detiannuo, Manheim Auctions, DriveTime Automotive Group, and Jumbo Automotive Inc.
In response to the federal airbag investigation, Detiannuo released a statement which says:
"We do not do business with the United States, and any of our products are prohibited from being sold to the United States. Gas generators are dangerous. You must undergo rigorous experiments and tests before use and installation."
But according to the lawsuit, Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System "operates, conducts, engages in, or carries on a business or business venture in Florida or has an office or agency in Florida."
Additionally, Detiannuo allegedly "regularly does business in Florida by advertising, promoting, and selling motor vehicle parts and airbag system components to Florida residents and consumers."
Destiny Byassee Death — The 2020 Chevy Malibu
According to the lawsuit, the Malibu was involved in a previous collision in September 2022 that caused the front driver-side airbag and seat belt pretensioner to deploy. The lawsuit alleges the Malibu was so damaged it "should have been classified as a total loss, issued a salvage title, and removed from service."
The lawsuit says Enterprise Rent-A-Car contracted with Manheim Auctions to auction and sell the wrecked Chevy Malibu, then Manheim auctioned and sold the Chevy Malibu to DriveTime. Jumbo Automotive was allegedly hired to repair the vehicle so it could be sold to the public.
But Jumbo allegedly purchased and installed counterfeit and non-compliant airbag components built and sold by Jilin Province Detiannuo. The lawsuit also asserts the Chevy Malibu's deployed seat belt pretensioner was never replaced or repaired. Instead, the wires were purportedly cut.
Once supposedly repaired, the Malibu was sold by DriveTime to Destiny Byassee.
The Destiny Byassee exploding airbag lawsuit was filed in the Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit for Broward County Florida: Cathy King, as the Personal Representative for the Estate of Destiny Marie Byassee v. Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., LTD, et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Morgan & Morgan, P.A.