It seems that Butler may have wanted more reliability out of the autopilot feature, with Google searches on his phone showing queries like “Tesla FSD not aggressive enough 2026,” “Tesla not aggressive enough,” and “Tesla FSD too timid,” ABC News reported.
If the Tesla had successfully navigated that course that Butler set before allegedly losing consciousness, the car would have turned left before smashing into the family home where 76-year-old Martha Avila lost her life. But ABC News reported that in the six seconds before the crash, the Tesla instead exceeded 70 mph speeds and continued straight after the pedal was pressed “all the way down.”
The NTSB said that “security camera footage showed the car’s path of travel as it continued straight through the intersection, departed the roadway, and struck the residence.”
Butler has been charged with manslaughter and jailed, with a bond set at $150,000, ABC News reported.
Alongside Tesla, he also faces a lawsuit where Avila’s surviving family has alleged that both he and Tesla were negligent and may be to blame for the crash.
