HOUSTON — A suit alleges a Telsa's Autopilot system failure led to the vehicle crashing into police at a traffic stop.
Dalton Fields, Rai Duenas, Kenneth Barnett, Chris Taylor and Daniel Santiago filed a complaint in Harris County District Court against Telsa Inc., and Pappas Restaurants Inc., doing business as Pappasito's Cantina Inc., alleging negligence and other claims.
The plaintiffs, who are police officers pulled over a vehicle on Eastex Freeway for a traffic stop on February 27, 2021, according to their complaint. They allege that while searching the vehicle for suspicion of possession of narcotics, a 2019 Model X Tesla going about 70 MPH that was on Autopilot, plowed into the scene and caused them to suffer serious injuries.
The plaintiffs claim the vehicle did not apply its "emergency braking" and that it was unable to detect the four vehicles, six people and the police dog fully stopped in the lane of traffic. They further claim the driver of the Tesla had consumed alcohol at Pappasito's and was intoxicated.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief of more than $1 million, interest and all other just relief. They are represented by Anthony Buzbee and Brittany Ifejika of The Buzbee Law Firm in Houston and Maureen Farrell and Adam Muery of Muery & Farrell PC in The Woodlands.
Harris County District Court case number 2021-62207