Florida Man Drives SUV Into Tesla Protest

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida – A Florida man allegedly drove slowly into a line of protesters gathered outside a Tesla dealership in unincorporated West Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, March 22, 2025.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Andrew Dutil drove a black Nissan SUV onto a curb in front of a Tesla dealership located at 5544 Okeechobee Boulevard, nearly striking several pedestrians during a protest.

PBSO deputies arrested Dutil, the registered owner of the Nissan, at the scene. Dutil was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. The vehicle remained parked on the curb in front of the dealership, surrounded by protesters, when deputies arrived.

One protester told deputies that she was participating in a peaceful protest at the Tesla dealership when the black Nissan, which had driven by earlier in the day and whose driver yelled at the protesters, returned and drove onto the curb near Okeechobee Boulevard.

Another woman also reported being on the curb during the protest when the Nissan drove toward her.

Both protesters expressed fear for their lives, believing the vehicle would hit them if they did not move.

The protest was part of a series of demonstrations against Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, focusing on Musk’s role in the Trump administration’s efforts to cut federal funding and jobs.  Similar protests have targeted Tesla locations nationwide.