Tesla driver charged with manslaughter over crash into Texas home
NBC News • • business
Key Points:
- Michael David Butler, 44, has been charged with manslaughter after crashing his Tesla Model 3, operating in Full Self-Driving mode, into a Houston-area home, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila.
- Butler told police he passed out while making a DoorDash delivery and that the car was on Autopilot; however, his speed was 73 mph—more than double the limit—and no braking was recorded before the crash.
- Tesla disputed Butler’s account, with CEO Elon Musk stating the Full Self-Driving mode drives slowly in neighborhoods and a company VP claiming Butler manually accelerated.
- Butler was granted bail at $150,000 with conditions including an ankle monitor and a driving ban; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the crash amid numerous probes into Tesla’s driver assistance systems.
- Avila’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tesla, alleging gross negligence and failure to warn about defects in its self-driving technology.
