A 76-year-old woman has died after a Tesla slammed into a home in Katy, Texas, after the driver reportedly told authorities the vehicle was on “autopilot” before the collision.
The crash happened around 8 p.m. Friday, June 19, 2026, when a Tesla Model 3 driven by 44-year-old Michael Butler veered off the roadway and struck a brick home in the Katy area of Harris County, according to investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said the vehicle was being used “with an automated driving assistance system” at the time of the crash, and that Butler failed to remain in a single lane before the Tesla left the road.
Martha Avila was inside the residence when the vehicle struck her. She was flown to a nearby hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
Her daughter, Jennifer Barbour, said her mother had been in remarkable health before the incident.
“I think her life was cut very short,” she told KHOU 11.
“My mom is super generous and sweet. She was super healthy, she was 76, on no medication, nothing, had no health issues. She would have made it to 100 like my grandma.”
Butler was also hospitalized with injuries after the crash. Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Terry Allbritton said Butler told investigators he had activated “autopilot” before the vehicle crashed.
Investigators said Butler showed no signs of intoxication and has cooperated with the investigation. As of Saturday, June 21, 2026, he had not been charged, and officials said it remains unclear whether any charges will be filed.
Barbour said she lived in the house with her husband and their three children, and that the Tesla drove straight into the children’s playroom. Images from the scene showed debris scattered across the yard and severe damage to the brick front of the home.
“My three kids were at my neighbour’s when we went to the hospital to check on my mom,” Barbour said.
“And then they told us they couldn’t save her. We came back and we told the kids. The kids are devastated, and we brought them back to the hotel. We’ve been here since. I’m still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.”
She said the exact cause of the crash is still unclear to her.
“I don’t know if it’s his fault or the car’s fault or what really happened,” she said. “I’ve never seen a car go that fast.”
The family has since created a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses and short-term living costs, as the damage has left the house unsafe.
“The home is now uninhabitable and under investigation, forcing our family into temporary housing while they cope with this unimaginable loss,” the page reads.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Vehicular Crimes Division is still investigating what happened. Officials said the vehicle struck the residence at a high rate of speed and hit Avila inside the home.
Tesla’s Autopilot and other driver-assistance features are designed to assist the driver, not replace them, and users are supposed to remain alert and ready to take over at all times. Federal safety regulators have also scrutinized the system for years, including a 2023 recall of more than 2 million vehicles in the United States tied to concerns about driver monitoring and misuse.
Tesla and Harris County Sheriff’s Office have been approached for comment.