A lawsuit against Tesla and its driver-assistance technology goes to trial in Florida

Joel Rose

July 14, 2025 / 2:00 am

George McGee was behind the wheel of his Tesla Model S in April 2019 when the car sped through a T intersection near Key Largo, Fla., crashing into a parked SUV at more than 50 miles per hour.

"I was driving, I dropped my phone, and looked down," McGee told police at the scene. "I ran the stop sign and hit the guy's car."

Before the crash, McGee had engaged the system that Tesla calls Autopilot, which can steer, brake and accelerate the car on its own.

But that didn't stop the Tesla from slamming into the parked Chevrolet Tahoe. The impact of the crash killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon, who had been standing next to the parked SUV with Dillon Angulo. Angu

See Full Page