Cybertruck owner detained in Texas

Grapevine, Texas, police said a Cybertruck driver was arrested after intentionally driving the vehicle into Grapevine Lake to test Tesla’s “Wade Mode” feature. Officers were dispatched to Katie’s Woods Park Boat Ramp at about 8 p.m. on May 19 and found the truck stranded in the water near the shoreline, according to local reporting that cited the Grapevine Police Department. The vehicle became disabled and took on water, and the occupants got out before the Grapevine Fire Department’s water rescue team removed it from the lake. Jimmy Jack McDaniel, 70, was arrested on charges that included operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake, having no valid boat registration and water-safety violations, according to WFAA and Fox 4, both citing police. WFAA reported that McDaniel had been giving a ride to two visitors from Germany when the truck became stuck. (wfaa.com) ### Who was detained, and where did it happen? Grapevine Police identified the driver as Jimmy Jack McDaniel, and local outlets said the incident happened at Katie’s Woods Park Boat Ramp on Grapevine Lake in North Texas. WFAA reported McDaniel was 70 years old and said police arrested him after he and two passengers became marooned near the ramp. (wfaa.com) Fox 4 reported that McDaniel remained in the Grapevine Jail as of May 20 afternoon. Electrek, citing a Grapevine Police social-media post, reported the arrest followed the vehicle’s removal from the lake by the fire department’s water rescue team. ### What did police say the driver was trying to do? Grapevine Police said the driver told officers he drove into the lake on purpose to try the Cybertruck’s Wade Mode. (wfaa.com) Fox 4 quoted police as saying that while a vehicle may be physically capable of entering shallow freshwater, doing so can create legal and safety concerns under Texas law. (fox4news.com) WFAA reported McDaniel told a reporter he had used the feature before “without any issues,” but this time made a “miscalculation” and went too deep. He also told WFAA he believed water entered through the charging port, causing a short and shutting down steering. ### What does Tesla actually say Wade Mode does? (fox4news.com) Tesla’s Cybertruck owner manual says Wade Mode defaults the vehicle to Very High ride height and “protects Cybertruck for up to approximately 32 in (815 mm) of water” at slow speeds of 1 to 3 mph. The manual says the mode is limited to 30 minutes. Tesla’s documentation does not describe Wade Mode as a lake-crossing setting. (wfaa.com) Electrek, citing Tesla’s published specifications, said the feature is designed for shallow crossings rather than open water. ### Why is Elon Musk’s old claim part of this story? Elon Musk wrote in 2022 that the Cybertruck would be “waterproof enough” to serve briefly as a boat and cross rivers, lakes and seas that were not too choppy, according to multiple reports summarizing the post. (tesla.com) Electrek said that claim resurfaced because the Texas driver appeared to be testing a version of that idea in real conditions. (electrek.co) That public claim sits alongside Tesla’s owner guidance, which is more limited. Tesla’s manual sets a specific water depth and speed range for Wade Mode, and outside reports citing the manual said water ingress from driving in water is not covered by warranty. ### What did local officials say about the risk? (electrek.co) Katharina Gamboa, Grapevine Police media manager, told WFAA the episode posed a safety issue for the people in the truck and for others at the lake. “We have children on these shores, we have families visiting the lake,” she said, according to the station. (tesla.com) Fox 4 reported police also framed the case as a legal issue tied to where the vehicle entered the water and to boating-related requirements cited in the charges. ### What is the next concrete place to check? WFAA reported McDaniel said a crew had since returned the Cybertruck to him and that he hoped to drive it again. The next public updates are likely to come from the Grapevine Police Department, local court records tied to the charges, or any further statement from McDaniel or Tesla. (wfaa.com) (fox4news.com)