A Florida jury has ordered Tesla to pay $242 million in damages after finding its Autopilot system partially responsible for a deadly 2019 crash in Key Largo. The accident killed Naibel Benavides Leon and injured her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, when a Tesla driven by George McGee collided with a Chevrolet SUV. The jury awarded $200 million in punitive damages, $59 million in compensatory damages to Leon’s family, and $70 million to Angulo. Because Tesla was found to be one-third at fault, the compensatory damages will be reduced, bringing the total payout to $242 million.
The plaintiffs claimed Tesla’s Autopilot system contributed to the crash. Their lawyer, Darren Jeffrey Rousso, said justice was served and praised the jury’s decision. Tesla, however, announced plans to appeal, insisting that the driver was solely at fault because he was speeding, had his foot on the accelerator (which overrides Autopilot), and was distracted while searching for his phone. Tesla argued that no car in 2019—or even today—could have prevented the crash, emphasizing that the case was never truly about Autopilot.
Credit: CGTN