Man charged with manslaughter over Tesla crash originally blamed on car’s self-driving mode
Summary
A man named Michael Butler has been charged with manslaughter after crashing his Tesla Model 3 into a home near Houston, killing a 76-year-old woman inside. Butler and Tesla's self-driving technology are both under investigation, and the woman’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against them.Key Facts
- The crash happened on June 19 in Katy, a Houston suburb, and the victim was Martha Avila, aged 76.
- Michael Butler, 44, was driving the Tesla, which he said was in self-driving mode at the time.
- Butler was arrested and is held on $150,000 bail, with a court hearing set for July 6.
- Investigators found Butler was not intoxicated and he cooperated with them.
- Tesla officials said Butler pressed the accelerator fully, overriding the self-driving system.
- The victim’s family filed a lawsuit accusing Tesla of negligence and failure to warn about defects in autopilot and full self-driving features.
- Federal agencies NTSB and NHTSA are investigating the crash; NHTSA has many ongoing investigations into Tesla’s driver-assistance systems.
- Tesla recalls and safety concerns have increased as autopilot systems require drivers to stay attentive at all times.
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