Drug-dealing Tesla driver arrested after continuing to drive while asleep, police say

Law enforcement in Johnston County, North Carolina, arrested a suspected drug dealer late last week after the suspect fell asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla on U.S. Highway 70, according to a local news report.

According to Wilson’s Mills Police Department reports, officers were alerted to a sleeping driver behind the wheel of a white Tesla Model 3 heading west on August 23. Officers made initial contact with the moving vehicle and confirmed that the driver was asleep, suggesting the suspect was using Tesla’s Autopilot or Full Self Driving features. Unable to rouse the sleeping driver for nearly a mile, a Wilson’s Mills Police Department officer eventually had to pull his vehicle in front of the Tesla to stop it.

The officer was then able to wake the driver up, before conducting a field sobriety test. Consent to search the vehicle was reportedly obtained, during which officers found “vape pens” containing various illegal substances, including 200 grams of marijuana, 400 grams of methamphetamine and 400 grams of ecstasy, according to a statement from the Wilson’s Mills Police Department.

The driver was arrested on charges of drug trafficking, possession for sale, reckless driving and failure to obey emergency lights, according to county arrest records. After being taken to the Johnston County Detention Center, the driver was released on $50,000 bail, according to CBS 17.

“I’ve been in this business a long time and you think you’ve seen it all,” Wilson’s Mills Police Chief AZ Williams told CBS 17. “(The driver) was sound asleep at the wheel for over a mile after officers encountered him. There’s always something new.”

Tesla’s Autopilot and Full-Self Driving systems have names that suggest impressive autonomy capabilities, but they remain semi-autonomous driving aids, not true self-driving technology, and therefore require constant supervision from the driver. Needless to say, whether you’re dealing illegal substances or simply tired behind the wheel, using semi-autonomous features is never a substitute for adequate rest.

You may also like