— A Texas Tesla crash that killed 76-year-old Martha Avila has caused a lawsuit to bsudden acceleratione filed just days after the crash.
The June 19 crash occurred in the Katy area of Harris County, Texas, when the Tesla Model 3 crashed into a home and killed Martha Avila.
The lawsuit says Avila was standing inside the front room at about 8 p.m. when the Model 3, driven by 44-year-old Michael Butler crashed through the the wall.
According to the lawsuit filed by the family, Butler was driving with Autopilot engaged, and he is also named as a defendant.
Although the investigations had just begun, the lawsuit was filed arguing Avila was killed because multiple features and components of the vehicle were defective. The plaintiffs also contend the Tesla suffered from unintended acceleration problems which caused the crash.
Tesla Model 3 Crash — Official Reports
Court documents say Tesla driver Michael Butler was arrested and charged with manslaughter in the death of Martha Avila.
The authorities report Butler was driving the Tesla as he made deliveries for DoorDash, allegedly with "Full Self-Driving mode" engaged before he "passed out."
Tesla argues Butler overrode and disengaged the driver-assist system before the crash, and information from the event data recorder allegedly shows Butler did just that.
Investigators learned Butler used the accelerator pedal before the crash which disengaged the driver-assist system. Court documents explain the accelerator pedal was pressed which caused the vehicle to accelerate and the Tesla turned right.
The data show the accelerator pedal at 100% six seconds before the crash, with the vehicle eventually hitting a curb at 73 mph as it went airborne into the home. Data also indicate the brake pedal wasn't touched.
Local investigators say there is no evidence of any vehicle mechanical problems, but they did discover Butler had used his phone to search for "Tesla FSD not aggressive enough 2026" and "Tesla FSD too timid."
The Martha Avila Tesla crash lawsuit was filed in the District Court of Harris County, Texas: Justin Barbour and Jennifer Barbour v. Tesla, Inc. and Michael Butler.
The plaintiffs are represented by Zehl & Associates, P.C.
