Tesla’s driver-assistance technology was allegedly involved in a crash in Katy, Texas, this past weekend that left a woman dead. The crash happened around 8:03 p.m. on June 19, when Michael Butler, the driver of a Tesla Model 3, allegedly failed to stay in a single lane, drifted off the roadway, and crashed into a brick house at high speed, according to a news release from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Butler told authorities that an automated driving-assistance system was engaged at the time of the crash, according to the sheriff’s office. The Tesla entered the front of the home and struck and pinned Martha Avila, a woman in her mid-70s, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez posted on Facebook. Avila was taken by medical helicopter to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the crash. The crash comes as Tesla has been facing growing legal and regulatory scrutiny over its driver-assistance technology and how it is marketed.
“We’re still evaluating what caused that car to fail to control its speed just before this crash,” Sgt. Alex Turman told ABC 13 Houston. The sheriff’s office said Butler showed no signs of intoxication and was cooperative during the investigation, which is ongoing.
