GoKawiilA Tesla Model 3 ran a stop sign in Buena Vista Township, New Jersey, and hit a Honda Civic turning left through the intersection. The Civic’s driver, 82-year-old Stephen Field, was killed.
Police reported it as a car that failed to stop. What no one reported is that Tesla’s own data says the car’s driver-assist system was engaged. This is part of an ongoing Electrek investigation matching reported crashes to Tesla’s redacted NHTSA data.
What happened at Route 671 and Chestnut
Around 6:57 p.m. on Sunday, July 6, 2025, New Jersey State Police troopers were called to the intersection of County Route 671 and Chestnut Avenue in Buena Vista Township, in Atlantic County. A Tesla Model 3 failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a Honda Civic that was making a left turn, NJSP spokesman Jeffrey Lebron said.
Field, the Civic’s driver, suffered fatal injuries. The Tesla’s driver and three passengers were hurt and taken to a hospital with moderate injuries. The crash is still under investigation.
Advertisement - scroll for more content
The handful of local reports described it as a Tesla that ran a stop sign. None mentioned Autopilot, “Full Self-Driving,” or any driver-assist system. As far as the public knew, this was an ordinary human-error crash.
What Tesla told the federal government
It wasn’t. Under a NHTSA Standing General Order, automakers must report crashes where a Level 2 driver-assist system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. Tesla filed a report on this one.
In it, Tesla identifies the car as a 2019 Model 3 and marks the automation “Engagement Status” as “Verified Engaged” — meaning it confirmed through its own telematics that the system was active. It logs a fatality, and it says it holds the event-data recorder and telematics from the car.
... continue reading