KATY, Texas – A 76-year-old woman died after a Tesla crashed through the front of a Katy home Friday night, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
The wreck happened around 8 p.m. at the intersection of Blooming Park and Rose Hollow.
Investigators said the Tesla failed to make a right turn and was traveling at a high rate of speed when it crashed directly into the house, ending up in the front room of the residence. Authorities said the woman was inside the front room and was struck when the vehicle entered the home.
Precinct 5 said the driver told deputies he had the Tesla on autopilot at the time of the crash. The driver, identified as a 44-year-old, was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital and has been cooperating with investigators, authorities said.
The 76-year-old woman was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann, but later died from her injuries, authorities said.
Investigators are working to determine what caused the vehicle to fail to control its speed before the crash. They are examining what role the driver’s control of the vehicle may have played and whether Tesla’s autopilot system played any role, authorities said.