During a trial over a 2019 fatal Tesla crash in the Florida Keys, a Tesla software manager admitted he had no explanation for the deletion or loss of key autopilot data. David Shoemaker, who manages Tesla’s autopilot team, said the data was likely deleted or moved accidentally but didn’t know how or why.
The crash killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and seriously injured her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, who now suffers from PTSD and chronic pain. Tesla argues the driver, George McGee, was solely at fault for speeding and being distracted. The plaintiffs claim Tesla allowed autopilot on roads it wasn’t designed for.
A juror was dismissed after Tesla’s legal team found a TikTok video of him making hostile comments about CEO Elon Musk. The judge ruled he had failed to answer voir dire questions honestly.
The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages and are represented by Singleton Schreiber LLP attorneys Brett Schreiber, Satyasrinivas M. Hanumadass, and Carmela S. Birnbaum. Tesla begins its defense Thursday. McGee has settled with the family.
