Tesla protest West Palm Beach Florida: Man, 44, arrested after driving car into crowd of anti-Tesla protesters at dealership

According to the Palm Beach Post, 44-year-old Andrew Tutil, a retired U.S. Army captain and civil engineer, was arrested on Saturday (March 23). He was charged with first-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent.

The incident reportedly happened outside of a Tesla dealership in West Palm Beach, Florida, where about 150 protestors had gathered to speak out against Musk’s role in the Trump administration. Witnesses reported that Tutil drove a black Nissan Pathfinder SUV slowly into the crowd, nearly hitting two elderly women, before parking on the sidewalk and claiming the car’s brakes and electronics had malfunctioned.

Police arrested Tutil after reviewing evidence and questioning him and other witnesses. The protest was part of a broader movement against Musk, whose critics argue that he has benefitted from government subsidies and is now undermining public programs and workers.

There has been an increase targeting Tesla vehicles, including a large-scale attack in Las Vegas. A person dressed in black shot and set fire to several Tesla vehicles at a repair facility in Las Vegas on Tuesday 18 March. Police departments across the United States have been investigating a wave of attacks on showrooms, charging stations and vehicles belonging to Tesla.

The FBI has announced it would launch a task force to investigate the attacks targeting Tesla vehicles, dealerships, and charging stations, per CNBC. FBI director Kash Patel wrote on X: “This is domestic terrorism. Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice.”