Overview
- Michael David Butler was arrested and charged with manslaughter after a Tesla Model 3 left the roadway and crashed through a Katy house, fatally striking 76‑year‑old Martha Avila.
- The June 19 crash is the focus of investigators who say extracted vehicle logs and dash video show the accelerator pressed to 100% within about six seconds and the car reached roughly 73 mph before impact.
- Butler initially told first responders the car was on Autopilot or Full Self‑Driving, but prosecutors say the data and a phone forensic report — including Google searches about FSD being “too timid” — indicate he overrode FSD before the collision.
- Avila’s family has filed a wrongful‑death suit naming Butler and Tesla, and federal safety agencies including NHTSA and NTSB have opened special investigations into the incident and Tesla’s driver‑assist systems.
- Court records show Butler was booked with bond set and conditions including an ankle monitor and no driving, and the case now spans criminal prosecution, civil liability and ongoing federal oversight of Tesla’s Autopilot/FSD technology.