Elderly Driver Dies After Tesla in Autopilot Mode Crashes Into Pond in Pasco County

iSkyNews and Media May 28, 2026

Tesla Torn Apart After Deadly Crash Into Pond Area / FHP

News Brief

An 87-year-old Wesley Chapel man has died following a crash involving a Tesla Model Y in Pasco County.

Investigators say the Tesla was operating in autopilot mode when it left the roadway on Overpass Road.

The vehicle struck an electrical box before plunging into a nearby pond.

A 75-year-old female passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published May 28, 2026

An 87-year-old Wesley Chapel man died after a Tesla Model Y operating in autopilot mode crashed off Overpass Road in Pasco County, struck an electrical box, and submerged into a pond, according to FHP.

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — An 87-year-old Wesley Chapel man has died after a Tesla operating in autopilot mode crashed into a pond Tuesday evening in Pasco County, according to investigators.

The crash happened around 8:10 p.m. on May 26, 2026, along Overpass Road east of Infinite Drive.

Authorities say the driver was traveling eastbound in a Tesla Model Y SUV while the vehicle was reportedly operating in autopilot mode. For reasons still under investigation, the Tesla departed the roadway, struck an electrical box, and continued into a nearby pond where the vehicle became submerged.

Emergency crews responded to the scene and removed both occupants from the vehicle.

The driver was transported to an area hospital but later died from injuries sustained in the crash. His identity has not yet been publicly released pending notification procedures.

A 75-year-old Wesley Chapel woman who was riding as a passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was also taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Photos from the scene show the heavily damaged Tesla after it was pulled from the water, along with debris and tire tracks leading from the roadway toward the pond.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the role the vehicle’s autopilot system may have played.

No additional information has been released at this time.

Photo credit: Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)

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