Grandmother Killed Inside Her Own Home After Tesla on Autopilot Slams Through Wall

A Texas grandmother was killed in a horrifying crash after a Tesla allegedly operating in Autopilot mode veered off a residential street and smashed straight into her home, officials said.

Martha Avila, 76, was inside the Katy-area house on Friday night, June 19, when the out-of-control Tesla Model 3 came barreling through the side of the residence, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

The violent crash was captured on Ring doorbell footage, which showed the vehicle careening into the home at a high rate of speed.

Authorities said the Tesla was being driven by Michael Butler, who was traveling eastbound down a residential street when the car failed to stay in a single lane, left the roadway, and plowed into the house.

Butler later told investigators he was using the vehicle’s Autopilot mode at the time of the crash, officials said.

Avila was struck inside the home and suffered devastating injuries. She was rushed by Life Flight to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Butler was also taken to the hospital by ambulance. His current condition has not been released.

Officials said Butler showed no signs of intoxication and is cooperating with investigators.

The crash has raised fresh questions about Tesla’s Autopilot feature, which has already faced scrutiny from federal safety officials following a series of crashes.

Tesla’s own website states that Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability are meant to be used only by a fully attentive driver who keeps their hands on the wheel and is ready to take control at any moment.

“While these features are designed to become more capable over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle autonomous,” the company states.

In 2023, Tesla recalled more than 2 million vehicles after a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into crashes involving Autopilot.

Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to Tesla for comment.

For Avila’s family and neighbors, however, the investigation comes after an unthinkable tragedy: a quiet night at home ending with a car blasting through the wall and taking the life of a 76-year-old woman who never saw it coming.