by - A man driving a car crashed into a group of people protesting outside a Tesla dealership in Florida.
- No one was injured, but the man was arrested for assembly with assault with a deadly weapon.
- Last weekend, protests took place across the country as part of the Tesla Takedown movement.
Protesters were actively demonstrating over the weekend as the movement continues to gain momentum. Unfortunately, one of these events almost turned into a tragedy.
According to a report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, 44-year-old Andrew Dutil drove past the protest in Florida and shouted at participants. Later, he returned and reportedly drove onto the sidewalk and into protest participants at moderate speed.
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states that police received calls about a vehicle that “almost hit several pedestrians.” When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they found the car “parked on the sidewalk in front of the dealership with several people around it.”
Although no one was injured, Dutil was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. This is classified as a third-degree felony, which can result in up to five years in prison, five years of probation, and a $5,000 fine.
It is still unclear what motivated Dutil to drive into the group of protesters, but the natural assumption is politics. While this remains to be verified, Palm Beach County is home to President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, and he has influential supporters there. Nevertheless, Trump lost to Kamala Harris in the 2024 elections by 5,676 votes.
The incident appears to be the first attack on Tesla protesters, but the automaker has been targeted multiple times since Trump’s election and his appointment as the unofficial head of government efficiency. As previously reported, there have been numerous shootings and arson attacks, as well as damaged vehicles and property vandalism.
