Katy-area Tesla crash triggers manslaughter charge in home collision

A 44-year-old Michael Butler has been charged with manslaughter after his Tesla crashed into a Katy-area home on June 19, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila. Investigators say Butler’s high-speed vehicle left the roadway and struck the front wall; Avila was inside the home and died from injuries. Butler initially claimed Autopilot, but Tesla vehicle data suggests he overrode the system before the crash. No mechanical Tesla fault has been found to date, and the NHTSA is conducting a broader Autopilot-related investigation. Avila’s family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Butler and Tesla, seeking more than $1 million in damages.