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Tesla Cybertruck Owner’s Lake Test Ends in Arrest

The Texas driver told officers he drove the car into the water on purpose to test the Cybertruck’s “wade mode” feature.

A Tesla Cybertruck driver was arrested after he intentionally drove the vehicle into a lake right outside of Dallas. Jimmy Jack McDaniel was charged with operation of a vehicle in a closed section of the lake and various other water safety equipment violations, the Grapevine Police Department said Tuesday. Authorities rushed to Grapevine Lake late Monday evening after receiving reports of a floating Cybertruck near the shore. At the scene, McDaniel told officers he drove the car into the water on purpose to test the Cybertruck’s “Wade Mode” feature, which, according to Tesla, allows the vehicle to drive through bodies of water up to 32 inches deep. McDaniel’s plan quickly unraveled when the vehicle became disabled, forcing him and a passenger to abandon it in the water. The Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team eventually removed the car. “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 police department warned.