A 76-year-old grandmother has d!ed after a Tesla crashed into a home in a horrific incident that has stunned the community
SMASH TRAGEDY
Horrifying moment Tesla on autopilot slams into home killing grandma, 76, inside as devastated family pay tribute
THIS is the horror moment a Tesla on autopilot slams into a home killing a grandma inside – as her devastated family pay tribute.
Shocking footage showed the electric vehicle speeding into a Texas home after veering off a road while it was in automated driver-assistance mode.
Shocking footage showed a Tesla on autopilot ramming into a house
Martha Avila was killed in the tragedyCredit: Gofundme
Martha Avila, 76, died after the Tesla Model 3 owned by Michael Butler, 44, rammed into her home in Katy on June 19.
At the time of the harrowing smash, Martha was inside the home with two parents and three young children.
In jaw-dropping doorbell footage, the Tesla can be seen racing at full throttle over the home’s front garden.
About a second later, the electric vehicle penetrates the property’s exterior, leaving a gaping hole.
The Tesla was seen speeding into the home
Footage of the aftermath showed the car lodged into the homeCredit: Gofundme
Deafening audio captured the loud bang and screech sound the car made as it collided with the house.
Aftermath footage showed the black Tesla lodged in the playroom as its hazard warning lights flashed rapidly.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, including a helicopter which rushed Martha to hospital.
But she succumbed to her injuries shortly after arriving, despite the efforts of medics.
Martha Avila, 76, died in the horror crashCredit: Gofundme
The grandma’s loved ones paid tribute to herCredit: Gofundme
Martha’s heartbroken family paid tribute to her, sharing photos of the beloved grandma.
Her husband Justin Barbour told KHOU 11 she was cooking at the stove just 30 seconds before the deadly crash.
Meanwhile, her daughter Jennifer, who was in the backyard at the time, said she heard a loud boom.
She said she frantically found her daughter and young children following the crash.
But after the dust settled, she discovered that her mother had been struck.
Jennifer said: “My three kids were at my neighbor’s when we went to the hospital to check on my mom.
“And then they told us they couldn’t save her.”
The driver Butler was also injured in the crash but survived after being rushed to hospital by ambulance.
Local police said Butler showed no signs of intoxication and is co-operating fully with authorities.
Tesla’s autopilot feature, despite its name, still requires drivers to oversee the vehicle while it is moving.
It has been at the center of several crashes and accidents over the years.
In 2024, Tesla settled a lawsuit that blamed its driver-assistance software for the death of a California man in 2018.
CRE: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16552973/tesla-autopilot-slams-home-killing-grandma/
