A Tesla crashed through the entrance of a Florida liquor store after its driver reportedly attempted to use the vehicle’s self-driving feature. However, whether the technology was actually engaged at the time of the crash remains unclear.
Local 10 News in Florida reported that a Tesla smashed through the doors of a liquor store in Doral, Florida, on October 21. Police told the news channel that the driver said she was attempting to use self-driving mode when the EV suddenly accelerated.
CCTV footage showed the car lurch forward and break through the store entrance. It eventually came to a stop inside the business. Despite the severity of the incident, nobody in the store was hurt, and the driver was also unharmed.
The incident raises an important question about what actually happened inside the Tesla. Attempting to activate a self-driving feature does not necessarily mean the system was engaged, and police have not established whether the technology played any role in the crash.
How the Tesla Ran Into the Liquor Store
The Doral Police Department said that the driver was attempting to use the self-driving mode on her Tesla when it suddenly accelerated. The vehicle went straight through the front of the liquor store and came to a halt inside the building.
The woman driving the Tesla received a traffic citation. According to additional reporting from Univision, she was cited for careless driving. The station also reported that the Tesla struck a stop sign before entering the store.
Local 10 did not identify the woman behind the wheel or the model of Tesla involved. Univision subsequently identified the driver as Lee Young, a North Carolina resident, and reported that the business estimated the damage at approximately $50,000.
Local 10 News spoke with the store manager, who described the moments surrounding the crash. The car shot straight through the front of the store, where gift baskets are usually located.
“People normally look around here at the stuff we have on display,” said the store manager. She called it a miracle that no customer or employee was hurt. The counter itself was strong enough to stop the car from going further into the store.
The Store Manager Was Confused by the Accident
“She didn’t say anything about it,” said the store manager, referring to the Tesla driver. She was left baffled by the accident and grateful nobody in the store got hurt. At the moment the car shot through the door, no customers were looking at the gift baskets and no employees were working in that section of the store. “It was a very heavy crash,” added the store manager.
The footage backs up what she said. In the video, the Tesla shoots straight through the door and slams into the counter in that part of the store. The impact caused extensive damage to the entrance and merchandise, but nobody was injured.
“At that moment, we were in the back,” said the manager, and the decision to be in the back of the store at that time was an important one.
The liquor store reopened the following day, with wooden boards covering the broken glass doors.
Although the driver told police she was trying to use self-driving mode, available reports have not established whether the system was activated or what caused the sudden acceleration. The distinction matters because a driver’s attempt to use the technology is not evidence that it was controlling the vehicle when the crash occurred.