A 44-year-old Texas man, Michael David Butler, is arrested and charged with manslaughter after his Tesla crashed into a suburban Houston home and killed a woman inside the residence, according to multiple reports citing authorities and court records. The crash occurred last month, and investigators say the car entered the property and struck the home through its driveway, where a 76-year-old woman was killed. Butler was arrested by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office vehicular crimes division and faces manslaughter charges tied to the woman’s death.
Several outlets report that Butler claimed he was driving a Tesla Model 3 using the company’s automated driving assistance system, commonly described as Full-Self Driving (FSD) or Autopilot. The Wall Street Journal and local reporting also state that investigators say Butler acted to override or intervene with the vehicle’s automated assistance before or during the crash.
Separately, Engadget reports that the incident is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The reports also note that the case is based on information from court papers and initial reporting by other outlets.
