Tesla Faces USD329M Verdict Over 2019 Autopilot Crash Death

2025-08-02 03:47:55

(MENAFN) A Miami jury has ruled that Tesla must pay $329 million in damages following a fatal 2019 crash involving the company's Autopilot system, reports indicated on Friday.

The case stems from a tragic incident in Key Largo, Florida, where a Tesla Model S, operating with Enhanced Autopilot, collided with two pedestrians. The crash killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides and left her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, with serious injuries.

Jurors decided that Tesla was partially at fault, awarding $129 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages, according to media.

During the trial, the driver of the vehicle, George McGee, testified that he believed the Autopilot system would stop the car when he reached down to pick up his dropped phone.

“Tesla’s lies turned our roads into test tracks,” plaintiffs’ attorney Brett Schreiber said in a statement.

Tesla has yet to comment on the verdict, and the company’s stock saw a 1.5% drop on Friday following the ruling.

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