Manslaughter charge after Tesla crashes into Texas home

A Texas man, Michael Butler, has been charged with manslaughter after his Tesla Model 3— reportedly with Autopilot engaged—crashed into a Katy, Texas home, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila. Butler, who showed no signs of intoxication, left the roadway and entered the residence at high speed; surveillance video captured the incident. The case is under investigation by local authorities, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the NHTSA, while Avila’s family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Butler and Tesla alleging design defects in Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. Tesla disputes fault, pointing to driver input, and the episode follows prior recalls and ongoing scrutiny of the company’s self-driving systems.