Key facts
- NTSB confirmed Tesla driver pressed accelerator to 100%, overriding FSD.
- Vehicle speed exceeded 70 mph in a 30 mph zone before crashing into a home.
- The crash killed 76-year-old Martha Avila.
- Driver Michael Butler faces manslaughter charges.
- Victim's family is suing Butler and Tesla for negligence.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed that the driver of a Tesla Model 3 involved in a fatal June crash in Katy, Texas, manually overrode the vehicle's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system by fully depressing the accelerator pedal. Data recovered from the vehicle indicates it was traveling at over 70 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone when it collided with a house, resulting in the death of 76-year-old resident Martha Avila. The victim's family has filed a lawsuit against the alleged driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, and Tesla, citing negligence. Butler also faces manslaughter charges. Google searches on Butler's phone reportedly included queries about Tesla's FSD system not being aggressive enough. Security camera footage showed the car continuing straight through an intersection and striking a residence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also opened a special investigation into the crash.