Tonight, this fatal Tesla crash is now the focus of a federal traffic safety investigation. A doorbell camera captured the moments before a Tesla Model 3 slammed into a home in Katy, Texas. Police say 76-year-old Martha Avula was standing in her front room when the accident happened Friday night, and she was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Her family shared videos from inside the home on Facebook, showing the significant devastation left behind.
The driver, Michael Butler, told authorities he was using an automated driving assistance system at the time of the crash, though it is not yet clear which specific feature was engaged. Officials are currently evaluating what caused the vehicle to fail to control its speed before the collision. Tesla’s Model 3 comes equipped with traffic-aware cruise control to maintain speed and following distance, and drivers can subscribe to “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) mode for automated stopping and turning. Both modes are intended for use by a fully attentive driver. Earlier this year, Tesla officially discontinued “Autopilot” in the U.S., a feature previously linked to deadly incidents, including a 2019 Florida crash for which a federal jury later found Tesla partially liable.
Following the incident, Elon Musk responded to the news on X, stating that the situation made no sense because FSD is designed to drive slowly through neighborhood streets, whereas this was a high-speed crash. A Tesla AI technology leader also responded, claiming that in this specific case, the driver manually overrode the self-driving system by pressing the accelerator to 100%, reaching a speed of 73 mph and maintaining pressure on the pedal even after the crash. While these comments do not represent an official Tesla statement, they have raised questions regarding responsibility.
The driver, Michael Butler, was injured in the crash and transported to a hospital. As of the report, no criminal charges have been filed. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is consulting with individuals knowledgeable about Tesla vehicles to better understand the automated features. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a special crash investigation to determine if the incident was primarily caused by human error or a fault within the vehicle’s technology.
