PALM COAST, Fla. — This was an excuse rarely heard by law enforcement officials. A Tesla backed into a Florida deputy’s patrol car during a traffic stop last week, and the teens in the car claimed they were not driving because they were in a “smart car” that did not require a driver.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy pulled over a white 2018 Tesla on March 19 in Palm Coast when he noticed the vehicle traveling on the wrong side of the road after exiting a Wawa gasoline station.
The vehicle came to a stop but then backed into the deputy’s vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies said there were two teenagers in the Tesla, but nobody was in the driver’s seat, according to the sheriff’s office.
The teens were 14 years old and 15 years old, respectively. One juvenile was in the back seat of the vehicle, while the other teen was in the front passenger seat, the sheriff’s office said.
According to deputies, the teens said they were traveling from Charleston, South Carolina, to meet one of the juveniles’ fathers. Both juveniles insisted the vehicle was a Tesla and was driving on Autopilot when it backed into the deputy’s patrol car.
The deputy made contact with the vehicle and discovered two juveniles (14 and 15 years of age), one in the backseat and one in the front passenger seat. No one was seated in the driver’s seat.
However, deputies later determined that one of the teens was driving the Tesla before putting it into Autopilot, causing the crash, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies contacted the parents of the teens, and the parent of the person suspected of driving the Tesla said she was unaware that her daughter had left the state.
The deputy’s vehicle did not have any damage, but the Tesla sustained $300 in damage.
“These kids are very lucky that no one was hurt and their actions didn’t have more serious consequences,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement. “It doesn’t matter if you are driving a ‘smart car,’ driving without a license is still against the law. I hope these kids have learned a valuable lesson and I am grateful that no one was hurt and only minimal damage occurred to their vehicle.”
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March 26, 2021 at 10:50AM
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Florida teens claim Tesla with no driver backed into deputy's patrol car - KIRO Seattle
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