Key facts
- Michael David Butler has been charged with manslaughter following a fatal Tesla crash.
- The crash occurred on June 19 when Butler's Tesla Model 3 plowed into a Houston home, killing Martha Avila.
- Investigators determined Butler pressed the accelerator to 100%, overriding the vehicle's self-driving system.
- Tesla executives stated the driver manually overrode the system by flooring the accelerator.
- The vehicle reached 73 mph, and no mechanical error was detected.
- Butler was not intoxicated and is cooperating with investigators.
A Texas man, Michael Butler, 44, has been charged with manslaughter after his Tesla Model 3 crashed into a home near Houston, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila. According to an arrest affidavit, investigators determined Butler pressed the accelerator pedal to 100% moments before the crash, overriding the vehicle's Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode. Butler was making a DoorDash delivery when the incident occurred on June 19. Avila died later at a hospital. Butler told deputies he was using the car's self-driving technology, but investigators found the brake pedal was not pressed in the final minute before the crash, and no mechanical error was detected. Authorities reported no signs of intoxication. Tesla executives, including AI software vice-president Ashok Elluswamy, have stated that the driver manually overrode the FSD mode by flooring the accelerator. The vehicle reached 73 mph, more than double the speed limit on the residential street. Butler's bail was set at $150,000, with requirements to wear an ankle monitor and not drive.