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Naibel Benavides Leon, 22, Florida: jury found Tesla's Autopilot partly responsible for her death

A Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged went through a stop sign and flashing red light at a T-intersection at about 62 mph and hit a parked Chevrolet Tahoe after the driver bent down to pick up a dropped phone. The Tahoe struck Naibel Benavides Leon, who was killed, and Dillon Angulo, who was seriously injured. In August 2025 a federal jury in Miami found Tesla one-third responsible.

Status
Confirmed by an official finding
Deaths
1
Date
25 April 2019
Place
Key Largo, Florida, United States
AI system
Tesla Autopilot, 2019 Model S
Developer / operator
Tesla
Named
Naibel Benavides Leon

The finding

Jury verdict · US District Court for the Southern District of Florida (jury), Benavides v. Tesla, No. 1:21-cv-21940 · 1 August 2025

Jury verdict (1 August 2025): Tesla 33% responsible, the driver 67%; the jury found a defect in the vehicle caused harm. Jury compensatory awards were $59M (estate) and $70M (Angulo), reduced to Tesla's 33% share, plus $200M punitive. Final judgment $242,570,000 ($19.47M estate, $23.1M Angulo, $200M punitive). On 19 February 2026 (entered 20 February 2026) Judge Beth Bloom denied Tesla's amended renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law or, alternatively, a new trial (ECF No. 612).

Appeal: Under appeal. Tesla appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (No. 26-10858). Florida's attorney general, joined by Alabama and Georgia, filed an amicus brief on 9 July 2026 urging reversal or a cut in punitive damages. No appellate ruling as of 11 September 2026.

Read the primary source

Legal status

Jury verdict 1 August 2025; post-trial motions denied 20 February 2026; appeal pending in the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (No. 26-10858) as of 11 September 2026.

Notes

The first US jury verdict holding Tesla partly liable for a death involving Autopilot. It is under appeal and would move back to alleged if reversed. Most reports give her age as 22; NBC News said 20.

Sources

  1. Benavides v. Tesla, No. 21-cv-21940, ECF No. 612: Order on Amended Renewed Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law (or New Trial)
    US District Court, S.D. Florida (via GovInfo) · 20 February 2026 · Primary source
  2. Benavides v. Tesla, ECF No. 143: Order Denying Plaintiffs' Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint
    US District Court, S.D. Florida (via GovInfo) · 25 October 2023 · Primary source
  3. Tesla hit with $243 million in damages after jury finds its Autopilot feature contributed to fatal crash
    NBC News · 1 August 2025 · Reporting
  4. Tesla has to pay historic $243 million judgement over Autopilot crash, judge says
    Electrek · 20 February 2026 · Reporting
  5. Tesla heads to Miami court for wrongful death trial involving Autopilot system
    CBS News · Reporting
  6. Florida AG asks court to erase Tesla's $243M Autopilot crash verdict
    Electrek · 20 July 2026 · Reporting

History

  • 11 September 2026 — Added in the initial research review.

Added 11 September 2026 · Last updated 11 September 2026 · Counts as 1 death in the confirmed total

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