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Police arrest Texas man for driving Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake to test 'Wade Mode

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

A Texas driver was arrested after police said he deliberately drove a Tesla Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake to test the vehicle’s “Wade Mode” setting, only to have the truck quickly take on water and become disabled. According to authorities, the incident happened Monday evening near the Katie’s Woods boat ramp, where the driver and his passengers were able to get out safely before the Cybertruck was pulled from the shoreline by rescue crews.

Police arrest Texas man for driving Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake to test 'Wade Mode | Srmed

Police said the driver, who was later identified in reports as a 70-year-old man, told officers he entered the lake on purpose to see how the truck’s water-capability feature would perform. Tesla markets Wade Mode as a setting that can help the Cybertruck handle shallow water, but officials stressed that this does not mean drivers are free to take the vehicle into bodies of water without consequences. In this case, the truck reportedly began taking on water after entering the lake, prompting a response from first responders.

The Grapevine Police Department said the man was arrested and booked into jail on multiple charges, including operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park and lacking valid boat registration. Authorities also cited additional water safety violations. As reported by Fox 4 News and Business Insider, he spent the night in jail and remained in custody afterward while police continued to review the incident.

No injuries were reported, but the episode has drawn attention because it highlights the gap between a vehicle’s advertised capabilities and the legal and safety rules that apply once a driver leaves the road. Grapevine police reminded the public that even if a vehicle can physically enter shallow freshwater, doing so can still create serious hazards and legal problems under Texas law.

The Cybertruck was removed from the water by Grapevine Fire Department rescue personnel. Police have not released the driver’s name, and it remains unclear what he expected to happen once the truck entered the lake. For now, the case stands as an unusual example of a driver testing a feature in a way authorities say crossed both safety and legal lines.

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