Law enforcement officials in Johnston County North Carolina arrested an alleged drug trafficker late last week, after the suspect fell asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla driving along U.S. Highway 70, according to a local news report.
According to reports from the Wilson’s Mills Police Department, officers were alerted to a sleeping driver behind the wheel of a white Tesla Model 3 heading westbound on August 23. Officers made initial contact with the moving vehicle and confirmed that the driver was sleeping, suggesting that the suspect was using Tesla’s Autopilot or Full Self Driving features. Unable to wake the dozing driver over the course of nearly a mile, an officer with the Wilson’s Mills Police Department finally had to position their vehicle in front of the Tesla to make it stop.
The officer then managed to wake its driver, before performing a field sobriety test. Consent to search the vehicle was reportedly received, 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 by the Wilson’s Mills Police Department.
The driver was arrested on charges of drug trafficking, possession with intent to sell, reckless driving, and failure to heed emergency lights, according to county arrest records. After being taken to the Johnston County Detention Center, the driver was released after posting a $50,000 secured bond, according to CBS 17.
“I’ve been in this business for a long time and you think you’ve seen it all,” Wilson’s Mills Police Chief A.Z. Williams said to CBS 17. “[The driver] was sound asleep behind the wheel for over a mile after officers encountered him. There is 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 actual self-driving technology, and thus require constant supervision by the driver. Suffice it to say, whether you’re trafficking illegal substances or simply fatigued behind the wheel, using semi-autonomous features are never a substitute for proper rest.
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