Harris County Sheriff's Office
Coverage of Harris County Sheriff's Office in the Nexus archive.
- Man charged with manslaughter over Tesla crash originally blamed on car’s self-driving mode
Michael Butler was charged with manslaughter after his Tesla Model 3, initially blamed for a self-driving crash, killed 76-year-old Martha Avila. Tesla stated Butler disabled the car’s self-driving mode before the June 19 collision near Houston. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced Butler’s arrest.
- Driver charged with manslaughter after Tesla crashes into Texas home, kills grandmother
A Texas man was charged with manslaughter after his Tesla crashed into a home, killing a 76-year-old grandmother. The driver claimed the vehicle was on Autopilot, but Tesla disputed his account, stating he manually overrode the system. The victim's family sued Tesla for gross negligence.
- Investigator says Tesla driver went 'pedal to the metal' before crashing into Texas home, killing a woman
A Texas man drove a Tesla Model 3 into a residential home at high speed, killing a 76-year-old woman. An investigator stated the driver pressed the accelerator fully to 73 mph before the crash, overriding Tesla's Full Self-Driving system. The driver, Michael David Butler, faces manslaughter charges and remains in custody.
- Federal regulators opened a probe into a fatal Tesla crash where the driver claimed the car was driving itself
Federal regulators are investigating a fatal Tesla crash in which the driver claimed the car was using an automated driving feature when it collided with a home at high speed. The incident was reported to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
- Top auto regulator opens special probe after a Tesla slams into a Texas home, killing a 76-year-old
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a special investigation into a Tesla Model 3 crash in Texas that killed a 76-year-old woman, Martha Avila. The vehicle was using an automated driving feature at the time, and the driver reported using the technology, though its role in the crash remains unclear. Tesla faces multiple ongoing investigations into its self-driving systems, including past crashes and delayed crash reporting.
- Repeat offender on probation allegedly kills father who tracked his stolen truck using GPS
A father in Houston, Texas, was killed during a carjacking when a repeat offender on probation allegedly shot him after he tracked the stolen truck using GPS. The accused, London Hogan Sr., is charged with murder and other offenses, and has a history of criminal charges.