Katy Tesla Crash: Manslaughter Charge Linked to FSD Override in Residential Run

Prosecutors charged 44-year-old Michael Butler with manslaughter after his Tesla Model 3, operating under Full Self-Driving, sped through a Katy, Texas neighborhood at about 73 mph and crashed into a home, killing a 76-year-old woman. The charging document alleges Butler overrode FSD to floor the accelerator; investigators also found Google searches suggesting he believed FSD was not aggressive enough. The case, built from vehicle telemetry, dashcam, and phone records, highlights the ongoing tension between driver control and autonomous features, with potential civil liability for Tesla alongside the criminal charge.