Tesla Driver Using Autopilot in Texas Crash Is Charged With Manslaughter
Michael Butler, 44, of Richmond, has been charged with manslaughter following a June 19, 2026, crash that killed a 76-year-old woman in Katy, Texas, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and county court records.
Authorities say Butler was driving a Tesla Model 3 eastbound on Rose Hollow Lane near the intersection of Blooming Park Lane when the vehicle failed to stay in a single lane, left the roadway, and crashed through the front wall of a brick home. Martha Avila, who was inside the residence, was struck by the vehicle and later died from her injuries after being airlifted to a hospital. Another individual inside the home, Justin Barbour, allegedly suffered serious injuries to his shoulders, back, and neck.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office stated that Butler was cooperative and showed no signs of intoxication. Following the crash, Butler told authorities that he was operating the vehicle with an automated driving assistance system engaged and that the car was in autopilot mode.
For more on this story, see Tesla Crash in Simi Valley Kills 1, Injures 5 at Urbane Cafe – Full Details.
Disputed Claims and Legal Action
Tesla executives have disputed Butler’s account of the incident via social media. Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s vice president of AI software, stated that the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator to 100% in the residential area, reaching a speed of 73 mph during the crash and maintaining pressure on the pedal after the collision.
Avila’s daughter and son-in-law have filed a wrongful death and personal injury lawsuit against Butler and Tesla in Harris County District Court. The lawsuit alleges negligence and claims that defects in Tesla’s driver-assistance technology contributed to the crash. The plaintiffs contend the vehicle either experienced “sudden unintended acceleration” or failed to recognize the end of the street.
The lawsuit further alleges that Tesla marketed its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems by overstating their capabilities and understating the necessity for constant driver supervision. Butler was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Harris County Jail.
