- A Texas Tesla Cybertruck owner drove into Grapevine Lake to test Wade Mode feature
- The vehicle became disabled and partially submerged near Katies Woods Boat Ramp
- Driver and passengers abandoned the truck; rescue teams removed it from the lake
A Tesla Cybertruck owner in Texas, US, ended up in jail Monday night after he drove his electric vehicle into Grapevine Lake to test its "Wade Mode" feature, according to Grapevine police. Officers and firefighters were called to Katie's Woods Boat Ramp around 8:00 pm (local time) after reports of a vehicle in the water. They found the Cybertruck partially submerged near the shoreline. The incident was captured by bystanders, with one joking, "Yo sir, you can't park there," as the truck began to sink.
The driver told police he had steered the truck into the lake on purpose to use Wade Mode, one of the Cybertruck's off-road settings. Tesla describes the mode as intended for slow travel through shallow water, with the suspension raised to help protect the vehicle. The driver is supposed to engage it manually, as it doesn't activate automatically.
"The vehicle became disabled and took on water. The driver and passengers abandoned the vehicle and the Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team assisted in removing it from the lake," Grapevine Police Department wrote in a Facebook post. "The driver was arrested on charges of Operation of Vehicle in Closed Section of Park/Lake and numerous water safety equipment violations."
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The Grapevine Fire Department's Water Rescue Team and other authorities later used a wrecker to pull the waterlogged Cybertruck out of the lake.
"We want to remind drivers that although a vehicle may be physically capable of entering shallow freshwater areas, doing so can create legal and safety concerns under Texas law," the authorities added.
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Who was the driver?
As reported by The Independent, the driver was identified as Jimmy Jack McDaniel. He was booked into Grapevine Jail and faces charges including operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake, operating without a valid boat registration, and multiple water safety equipment violations. McDaniel told NBC 5 he had driven the Cybertruck in water before, including in the Atlantic Ocean, without problems.
Tesla's owner's manual cautions drivers to inspect underwater conditions before entering and warns against driving in deep or fast-moving water, noting it could lead to damage, injury or worse.
