The family of a woman who died after a Tesla crashed into her Houston-area home plans to sue the electric car company as well as the driver — who reportedly told authorities the vehicle was in autopilot mode — according to a spokesperson for the law firm hired by the family.
A lawsuit had not been filed as of Monday afternoon, but a spokesperson for Houston-based Zehl & Associates said its attorneys were attempting to have it filed by Tuesday. The firm announced Monday that it was enlisted by the family of Martha Avila, 76, who died after the Tesla crashed into her Katy home on Friday night.
The crash occurred in the 21300 block of Rose Hollow Lane, according to a social media post by the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office. The driver told authorities he was using Tesla's autopilot mode at the time of the crash, according to the constable's office.
Tesla, the Austin-based company founded by technology mogul Elon Musk, did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the crash.
RELATED: Tesla’s Robotaxi rides into Houston
Avila was injured in the crash and flown to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office, in a news release about the crash involving a Tesla Model 3, said the driver “stated he was operating with an automated driving assistance system engaged at the time of the crash." The man “failed to drive in a single lane, left the roadway, and struck the residence,” according to the sheriff’s office, who also said the man showed “no signs of intoxication” and was cooperative with responding authorities.
The man is not being named by Houston Public Media because he had not been charged with any crimes related to the crash as of Monday, according to online court and jail records. The man also was taken to a hospital after the crash, authorities said.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said evidence gathered during an ongoing investigation into the crash “will be presented to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether charges are appropriate.”
A GoFundMe page set up for Avila’s family had raised more than $27,000 as of Monday. According to the account, Avila was at a relative’s home at the time of the crash, and the home has since become "uninhabitable" due to the damage and ongoing investigation.
Copyright 2026 Houston Public Media News 88.7