A Tesla Model 3 allegedly operating on autopilot crashed into a home in Katy, Texas, on Friday night, killing a 76-year-old woman inside. The Harris County Sheriff's office confirmed the incident occurred around 8 p.m. local time on June 19.
Crash Details and Victim Identification
Driver Michael Butler was traveling in his Tesla Model 3 with an automated driving assistance system when he failed to stay in a single lane, left the roadway, and struck a residence on Rose Hollow Lane. The victim, Martha Avila, was inside the home and was airlifted to a hospital, where she later died from her injuries. Butler was also injured and taken to a hospital by ambulance, but investigators found no signs of intoxication and noted he was cooperating with the inquiry.
Neighbor and Family Accounts
Neighbor Bryan Diaz told ABC7 Eyewitness News that the Tesla appeared to be moving very fast before it failed to stop and slammed into the property. Jennifer Barbour, Avila's daughter, was in the back garden when she heard a loud explosion-like sound. After checking on her husband and children, she realized her mother had been struck. Barbour described her mother as “super healthy” and said, “She was 76, on no medication, nothing, had no health issues. She would have made it to 100 like my grandma. So I think her life was cut very short. She didn’t deserve to go that way.”
Ongoing Investigation and No Charges Filed
The investigation is ongoing, and as of Saturday, June 20, no charges have been filed. The Harris County Sheriff's office stated that Butler's Tesla entered the brick residence at a high rate of speed and struck Avila inside the home.
Background on Tesla Autopilot and NHTSA Investigation
Tesla Autopilot is a hands-on driver-assistance system (ADAS) designed to handle steering, accelerating, and braking automatically within its lane on the motorway. It is a Level 2 autonomous system, requiring active driver supervision at all times. In March, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a preliminary investigation into approximately 2.9 million Tesla vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised or Beta software after more than 50 reports of traffic safety violations and crashes.
