Texas Man Charged With Manslaughter After Tesla Full Self-Driving Crash Killed Katy Woman, Sheriff Says

A Texas man has been charged with manslaughter after a fatal crash in the Katy area that authorities said involved a Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the driver, 44-year-old Michael David Butler, was arrested following the June 19 crash in which a Tesla struck a residence, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila, who was in the home at the time, according to ABC News and other reports citing the sheriff’s office.

Butler, a DoorDash driver, appeared in court and a magistrate set his bond at $150,000, ABC News reported. Local court record reporting by ABC7 Chicago said Butler did not enter a plea and remained in Harris County jail as of the time of the hearing covered by the outlet.

Authorities reported that Butler told investigators his vehicle was operating with an automated driving assistance system. ABC News reported that Butler said the Tesla was operating with an automated driving assistance system and that he showed no signs of intoxication, was injured, and was cooperating with investigators. ABC7 Chicago reported additional allegations attributed to court documents, including that Butler said the last thing he remembered was operating the car on Highway 6 in full self-driving mode and that he “passed out.”

Investigators said Butler failed to drive in a single lane and crashed through the front of the two-story brick residence, according to ABC News citing the sheriff’s office. ABC7 Chicago reported that the prosecution and investigators downloaded crash data, reviewed the vehicle’s black box, and obtained consent to search Butler’s phone. That same reporting said the information included that Butler had used Full Self-Driving mode for multiple DoorDash locations before the crash without reported issues.

The dispute over how much of the drive assistance was actually engaged appears to be a central factual question in the case so far. ABC7 Chicago reported that, while Butler allegedly claimed the car was in self-driving mode, Tesla disputed that and alleged the driver overrode the feature. The criminal case proceeds based on the charging decision and allegations, and the next step will be how the facts are developed in court filings and testimony as the case moves forward.

Separate from the criminal charge, a civil suit was filed by the Avila family in Harris County District Court, according to ABC News. That report said the family sought at least $1 million in damages and alleged Tesla and Butler were negligent.

The manslaughter charge is expected to put the focus on alleged conduct while driving, what Butler told investigators, and what the vehicle and data records indicate about the use of driver-assistance systems at the time of the crash. As the case moves toward further court proceedings, both sides are likely to litigate whether the reported state of the technology matched the driver’s claims and what the driver’s actions were immediately before impact, a question that can determine potential liability and sentencing outcomes.