By Jordan Grim • October 30, 2025 • 06:11 AM (PDT)
By Jordan Grim • October 30, 2025 • 06:11 AM (PDT)
Tesla has not yet confirmed whether Autopilot was active during the crash or if the driver monitoring system functioned correctly.
A Tesla driver in Illinois was arrested after crashing into the back of a Ford Explorer police cruiser that was stopped for a traffic investigation.
However, this wasn’t just a case of a careless driver rear-ending another motorist, as the Tesla owner told police that the vehicle’s Autopilot system was engaged and he had fallen asleep behind the steering wheel.
It’s highly likely that the frame also sustained some damage, and there’s a good chance the Ford will be declared a total write-off.
The South Barrington Police Department says the squad car was parked on the shoulder with its emergency lights flashing when the Tesla rear-ended it. The driver, Joseph Fresso, told officers that he had activated Autopilot, fallen asleep, and didn’t wake up in time to react.
Two officers and Fresso were taken to Ascension Saint Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates. None of the three sustained life-threatening injuries and they were later released.
To make matters worse for the 43-year-old driver, a loaded handgun was found in his possession, and he did not have a valid firearm owner’s identification card. As a result, he was reportedly arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
He was also charged with failing to yield the entire lane or slow down when approaching an emergency vehicle. Fresso was taken to Cook County Circuit Court, where he is scheduled to appear on December 3.
If the driver was indeed asleep with the autopilot engaged, it could raise questions about the effectiveness of Tesla’s driver monitoring system.
The electric car manufacturer will likely send engineers to analyze the Model Y and determine whether the driver-assistance system was engaged at the time of the collision and whether its warning systems functioned properly.