A woman is dead after a Tesla in Autopilot mode crashed through her Texas home Friday night, authorities said. <\/p>\n
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The driver, identified as Michael Butler, was traveling east in a Tesla Model 3 about 8 p.m. when he crashed through a brick home in Katy, the Harris County Sheriff\u2019s Office said in a statement. <\/p>\n
The car struck 76-year-old Martha Avila, who was in the home. She was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead, the sheriff\u2019s department said. <\/p>\n
Butler told authorities that the vehicle was on Autopilot mode at the time of the crash. The sheriff\u2019s office said Butler showed no signs of intoxication and was cooperative during the investigation. <\/p>\n
Butler, who was also injured in the crash, was taken to a nearby hospital. <\/p>\n
Tesla did not respond to multiple requests for comment. <\/p>\n
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. <\/p>\n
Jennifer Carson, who lives a few doors down from Avila, said she was at home Friday night watching a movie with a friend when she heard the crash. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt sounded like thunder,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Security video that was captured by Carson\u2019s neighbor and shared with NBC News showed the car driving through the subdivision in the moments before impact. Carson, who also saw the video, said she couldn\u2019t believe how fast the Tesla appeared to be moving. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how someone could have gotten as fast as they did,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Authorities have said Butler\u2019s Tesla was moving at a \u201chigh rate of speed\u201d before the crash. Carson said she often hears cars revving their engines and speeding down her street and in the surrounding neighborhood. <\/p>\n