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‘No one was driving’ Tesla before fatal fiery crash that kept reigniting, Texas cops say

Dawson White
·2 min read

It appears no one was driving a Tesla Model S when it crashed into a tree and burst into flames, killing the two people in the car, Texas police say.

The crash happened around 9 p.m. in a Spring subdivision, KTRK reported.

First responders arrived at the scene after receiving a call about an explosion in the woods, according to the outlet.

Mark Herman, Harris County Constable for Precinct Four, said the two passengers in the car were pronounced dead at the scene, KHOU reported.

Authorities found one body in the front passenger seat and another in the backseat, according to the outlet.

Police have not released the passengers’ names.

The car’s batteries kept reigniting, making it difficult for fire crews to extinguish the blaze, officials say.
The car’s batteries kept reigniting, making it difficult for fire crews to extinguish the blaze, officials say.

An investigation showed that “no one was driving” the 2019 vehicle when it crashed, Herman told KPRC.

Authorities don’t believe anyone else was in the car when the crash occurred, per KPRC.

Tesla vehicles have an autopilot function that allows the “car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane under your active supervision,” according to a description on the company’s website.

It hasn’t been reported whether the vehicle was in autopilot mode at the time of the crash.

Police said the car was traveling at a high speed when it ran off the road and into a tree during a turn in a cul-de-sac, according to KPRC. It immediately burst into flames.

As crews worked to put out the fire, the fully electric car’s batteries kept igniting, making it difficult for crews to extinguish the blaze, KTRK reported.

It took crews four hours to put out the fire, using more than 30,000 gallons of water in the process, according to KHOU. Herman said that crews had to contact Tesla for help extinguishing the flames.

Autopsies will be performed on both passengers, KPRC reported.

McClatchy News has reached out to Tesla for comment.

Spring is just north of Houston.

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