Jim McDaniel faces charges after driving a Cybertruck into a Texas lake to test the vehicle’s “wade mode” feature, according to police.
Grapevine, Texas — A man who intentionally drove a Tesla Cybertruck into Lake Grapevine Monday night said he had used the truck’s “wade mode” before without any problems, but this time he drove too deep and got stuck.
Police arrested 70-year-old Jimmy Jack McDaniel after he and two tourists from Germany got stranded near a boat ramp on the lake just north of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport around 8 p.m. Monday.
Grapevine police said he faces charges of operating a vehicle in a closed area of the park. He also faces boating-related charges, including not having a valid boat registration and not having a life jacket or fire extinguisher on the truck.
McDaniel told reporters that the problem was not with the Cybertruck itself, saying he had driven the Cybertruck in lakes before and even in the Atlantic Ocean without problems.
This time, he said, he made a “misjudgement” and went too far while taking a German father and son for a ride who were visiting neighbors. The video shows that all three people escaped from the car window.
McDaniel said he believes water got into the truck’s charging port, causing a short circuit that shut down the steering system. The Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team later towed the truck from the lake, police said.
“Please do not drive your vehicle into the water,” Grapevine Police Media Manager Katharina Gamboa said. “I never thought I would have to say that.”
She said it was a safety issue for those on board and anyone on shore.
“We have kids on these shores, we have families visiting the lake,” she said. “This is a security risk.”
McDaniel said crews have returned the Cybertruck and he hopes he can drive it again.
