The driver of a Tesla Model 3 has been charged with manslaughter in the state of Texas, in the United States, after a crash that killed a 76-year-old woman.
The case happened on June 19, when the car left the road, struck a residence, and hit the resident, identified as Martha Avila. The driver, Michael David Butler, said he was using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system at the time of the crash.
However, data analyzed by the automaker indicates that he fully pressed the accelerator, disabling the assistance system before the collision. According to the investigation, the vehicle reached around 117 km/h on a road with a speed limit of 56 km/h, with no braking before impact.
Authorities said they found no evidence that the driver had consumed alcohol or drugs. Butler was arrested but released after posting US$150,000 bail and is expected to face the case while free, under electronic monitoring.
The crash also prompted an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), while the victim’s family filed a civil lawsuit against the driver and Tesla.
The case reignites the debate over the limits of driver-assistance systems and drivers’ responsibility when using technologies such as Autopilot and Full Self-Driving, which still require constant human supervision.
76-year-old Martha was inside her own home when a Tesla, reportedly on autopilot, came crashing through her wall and took her life. This is not the first time we have had these conversations about Teslas. The federal government has now opened an investigation and we will be… pic.twitter.com/yVq32BPZrH
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) June 25, 2026
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Photo and video: Unsplash / X @AttorneyCrump | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
