A Texas man was arrested after police said he intentionally drove his Tesla Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake to test the vehicle’s much-discussed “Wade Mode” feature. The unusual incident happened Monday evening near Katie’s Woods Boat Ramp in Grapevine, Texas, and quickly became one of the most talked-about Cybertruck stories online.
According to the Grapevine Police Department, officers responded around 8 p.m. after reports of a vehicle in the water. When first responders arrived, they found the silver Tesla Cybertruck partially submerged near the shoreline. Police said the driver, identified as Jimmy Jack McDaniel, admitted he drove into the lake on purpose because he wanted to test how the Cybertruck handled water using Tesla’s Wade Mode capability.
Authorities said the experiment failed after the electric truck became disabled and started taking on water. Both the driver and a passenger safely exited the vehicle before emergency crews arrived. The Grapevine Fire Department’s Water Rescue Team later helped remove the Cybertruck from the lake using heavy recovery equipment.
Driver faces multiple charges after Cybertruck incident
Police confirmed McDaniel was charged with operating a vehicle in a closed section of the park or lake area, failing to have a valid boat registration, and several water safety equipment violations under Texas law. Officials also reminded the public that even if a vehicle is technically capable of entering shallow freshwater, it does not automatically make the action legal or safe.
McDaniel later told local media he had previously driven the Cybertruck through water without problems, including driving it in the Atlantic Ocean. However, officers said this lake incident created unnecessary safety risks and required emergency resources to recover the truck.
The viral case has also renewed debate around Tesla’s marketing and the real-world limits of advanced vehicle features. Tesla’s official owner documentation states that Wade Mode is designed to help the Cybertruck drive through shallow bodies of water such as creeks or flooded roads. The manual also warns drivers to carefully judge water depth and surface conditions before entering.
According to Tesla’s guidelines, the Cybertruck’s maximum recommended wading depth is around 32 inches measured from the bottom of the tires. The company additionally warns that muddy or soft underwater surfaces can cause the truck to sink deeper, increasing the chance of damage. Tesla also notes that water-related vehicle damage is not covered under warranty.
More details about the incident were reported by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.
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Cybertruck story goes viral online
Photos and videos of the partially submerged Cybertruck spread rapidly across social media and news platforms, causing major spikes in Google searches related to Tesla Cybertruck and Wade Mode. The story attracted attention because the Cybertruck has built its reputation around futuristic engineering, durability and off-road performance.
The incident also arrives during a period of intense attention around Tesla’s Cybertruck business and pricing strategy. Swikblog recently covered how the electric pickup has faced pressure from slowing demand and pricing concerns in global markets. Read more here: Tesla Stock Falls Below $400 as Cybertruck Price Increase and Europe Sales Slowdown Raise Concerns.
While no injuries were reported in the Texas lake incident, police made clear that attempting similar stunts could lead to both legal trouble and serious safety risks.
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