One North Texas man made a splash after testing out his Tesla’s “wade mode” feature in Grapevine Lake, a reservoir about 20 miles Northwest of Dallas and Northeast of Fort Worth. Jimmy Jack McDaniel, a 70-year-old man, was arrested after allegedly intentionally driving his vehicle into the body of water and getting stuck. McDaniel claims that the Cybertruck itself was not the problem, but he accidentally went deeper than the auto is designed to go. He also claimed that he has driven it into the lake and even the Atlantic Ocean before without an issue. McDaniel’s charges include operating a vehicle in a closed section of the park as well as boat-related charges such as not having valid boat registration and not having a fire extinguisher or life preservers onboard, according to WFAA. Stock image: Tesla Cybertruck testing in snow. The man was taking a ride in the car with a German father-son duo that was visiting his neighbor when the Cybertruck broke down. The three passengers escaped through a window and abandoned the car in the water. The car has since been returned to McDaniel, who hopes to drive it again soon. “Don’t drive into the water with your vehicle,” Grapevine Police Media Manager Katharina Gamboa said. “Didn’t think I’d have to say that one.” In Too Deep Though the Tesla Cybertruck was designed to handle certain off-roading conditions, the vehicle has its limitations. Tesla’s website emphasizes that it is a driver’s responsibility to determine the depth of water before driving into a body of water. “The maximum wade depth is approximately 32 inches (815 mm) measuring from the bottom of the tire,” writes guidance on the official Tesla website. The website warns to drive slowly, try not to stop and avoid deep, fast moving bodies of water. The feature is intended mainly to drive through shallow creeks and rivers. “If the water depth becomes too much, it’s best to turn back and choose an alternative route,” advises Teslarati. For Tesla drivers like McDaniel, it would appear that staying on dry land—or at least keeping to shallow waters—is the safest option. In a statement from the Grapevine Police, the department says that they, “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.” Another person chimed in: “Remember to register your Cybertruck as a boat before driving into Grapevine Lake.” The Grapevine Police Department emphasized to Newsweek that this incident was a serious safety issue and they are lucky that no one in the vehicle was injured. As for the driver himself, his night in the slammer is a valuable lesson on reading the owner’s manual when it comes to new technology and following boater’s law when using local lakes, even if the water vehicle of choice is technically a car. Related Articles A New Era for Old Icons: Transforming Mercedes-Benz HeritageSlate Went From Zero to Workingman EV Hero OvernightFrom Sergio to Stellantis: Filosa’s Versatility Leads Disruptive Change