GRAPEVINE, Texas — A 70-year-old driver was arrested after a Tesla Cybertruck became stranded in Grapevine Lake on Monday night following what police described as an incident involving a closed park area and boating safety violations.
Grapevine police identified the driver as Jimmy Jack McDaniel, who told reporters he had previously used the vehicle’s “Wade Mode” without problems but went too deep into the water during the latest attempt near Katie’s Woods Park Boat Ramp.
Police said McDaniel drove into a restricted section of the park around 8 p.m., where the vehicle became marooned with two passengers, both visitors from Germany.
Authorities arrested McDaniel on charges of operating a vehicle in a closed section of the park and cited additional boating-related violations, including operating without proper registration, life jackets, and a fire extinguisher on board.
McDaniel said he miscalculated the depth of the water and believed water entered the vehicle’s charging port, causing a shutdown of the steering system. He also said he had previously driven the Cybertruck in water, including the Atlantic Ocean, without incident.
Video showed all three occupants exiting the vehicle through a window before emergency responders arrived. The Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team later recovered the Cybertruck from the lake.
Grapevine police officials reiterated safety warnings against driving vehicles into water, citing risks to both occupants and the public near recreational areas.
McDaniel said the vehicle was later returned to him and he expected it to remain operational.
