A Texas man has been charged with manslaughter after his Tesla Model 3 crashed into a home in Katy, Texas, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila on June 19. Authorities say the driver, Michael David Butler, told police and paramedics that the vehicle was in "Full Self-Driving" or "Autopilot" mode at the time of the crash, according to court documents and statements from the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

The incident took place around 8 p.m. in the Houston suburb when Butler was making a DoorDash delivery and reportedly changed the music on the car’s touchscreen before he "passed out." The Tesla left the road, struck the brick residence, and pinned Avila inside the home. She was airlifted to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, as reported by the Harris County Sheriff's Office and detailed in court records. Butler was also injured in the crash but showed no signs of intoxication and has cooperated with investigators.

The arrest affidavit states the Tesla reached speeds of 73 mph—more than double the neighborhood speed limit—and that the brake pedal was not applied in the minute leading up to the crash. Butler denied feeling ill or consuming alcohol or drugs before the incident, according to statements reviewed by authorities. Video footage from a doorbell camera reportedly shows the Tesla slamming into the house at high speed.

Tesla has disputed Butler’s claim that the vehicle was in Full Self-Driving mode at the time. CEO Elon Musk said on social media that "FSD [full self-driving] drives slowly through neighborhood streets and this was a high-speed crash." Tesla’s head of artificial intelligence, Ashok Elluswamy, also responded online, stating, "In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area." Both officials emphasized that the vehicle’s automated systems require drivers to remain attentive and can be overridden by manual input.

Butler was arrested and appeared in court, where his bail was set at $150,000. He has been ordered to wear an ankle monitor and was forbidden from driving as part of his bond conditions. Butler did not enter a plea, and his next court hearing is scheduled for Monday (July 5).

Avila’s family has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against both Butler and Tesla, alleging gross negligence and failure to warn consumers about potential defects in the self-driving systems. Their attorney, Chris Adkins, told ABC News, "They’re not eager to either blame the driver or blame Tesla. They want to figure out what happened to their mom and prevent it from happening to other people in their community."

The crash is under investigation by local authorities, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the National Transportation Safety Board. The NHTSA has opened nearly 50 special investigations into Tesla crashes believed to involve advanced driver assistance systems since 2016.

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