Police arrest man who drove Cybertruck into lake to test ‘Wade Mode’

GRAPEVINE, Texas — A Texas man wanted to see if his Tesla Cybertruck could really float in “Wade Mode.” It can, but the man is now in hot water with authorities.

According to a social media post by the Grapevine Police Department, the motorist -- boaterist? -- was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake and not having a valid boat registration.

He was identified as 70-year-old Jimmy Jack McDaniel, WFAA reported.

McDaniel was also cited for “numerous” water safety equipment violations charges, including not having lifejackets or a fire extinguisher on board the truck, police said.

Police said the incident occurred shortly before 8 p.m. CT at Katie’s Woods Park Boat Ramp in Grapevine, located approximately 25 miles north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Officers arriving at the scene discovered the Cybertruck in the water near the shoreline.

Police said that McDaniel reportedly told officers that he intentionally drove into the lake to use the Cybertruck’s “Wade Mode” feature.

“The vehicle became disabled and took on water,” police said. “The driver and passengers abandoned the vehicle and the Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team assisted in removing it from the lake.”

McDaniel told WFAA he was driving with two visitors from Germany. He told a reporter that the issue was not with the Cybertruck, since he claimed to have driven it into the lake before, and even into the Atlantic Ocean.

The snag came when McDaniel made a “miscalculation” and went too deep into the lake, the television station reported.

According to Tesla’s Cybertruck owner’s manual, the Wade Mode feature “allows Cybertruck to enter and drive through bodies of water, such as rivers or creeks.” However, the manual also states that the maximum wade depth is approximately 32 inches from the bottom of the tire, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

McDaniel and his passengers escaped from the truck through its window and the Grapevine Fire Department’s water rescue team removed the vehicle from the lake, KDFW reported.

“We want to remind drivers that although a vehicle may be physically capable of entering shallow freshwater areas, doing so can create legal and safety concerns under Texas law,” the Grapevine Police Department wrote on Facebook.

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