Witherite Law Group Raises Concerns About Autonomous Vehicle Interference in Emergency Response Situations

Waymo Taxi Blocks Access to 5 Alarm Fire in Dallas

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amy Witherite, founding attorney of Witherite Law Group and a longtime advocate for roadway safety, is calling attention to newly released body camera footage showing a Dallas County deputy constable forced to manually move a driverless Waymo vehicle that was blocking an emergency route as fire trucks raced to a deadly gas explosion. The footage also shows a Waymo remote dispatcher requesting the officer’s name, badge number, and agency before taking action to clear the vehicle from the roadway.

The May 28, 2025, explosion at The Clyde apartment complex in Dallas’ Oak Cliff neighborhood killed three people and injured five others, drawing more than 100 firefighters. Dallas County Precinct 5 Deputy Constable Jonathan Banda encountered an empty Waymo vehicle stopped sideways in the roadway as engine companies approached with hoses. According to KERA News, Banda was seen reaching into the car to grab the steering wheel before the vehicle connected to remote support. Once connected, Banda told the dispatcher: “You need to move this car ASAP, please there’s a fire around the corner.” Rather than immediately clearing the vehicle, the Waymo remote team demanded identifying information before ultimately unlocking the car and allowing Banda to drive it out of the way himself.

“I knew I had to clear the way for the firefighters coming in. I could hear the sirens coming in. He released it to me and, at that point, another engine was coming down the street with the hoses they needed to deploy out there.”

— Deputy Constable Jonathan Banda, Dallas County Precinct 5

In a mass casualty situation, seconds count. The time a Waymo dispatcher spent collecting an officer’s credentials was time that could not be spent saving lives. Waymo’s response that the street “remained clear” and other vehicles passed unimpeded misses the fundamental issue: a sworn law enforcement officer was forced to abandon his duties, physically enter a privately-owned autonomous vehicle, and manually resolve a crisis the technology created.

This is not an isolated incident. Just months earlier, a Waymo vehicle blocked an ambulance responding to the West Sixth Street mass shooting in Austin that killed three people and injured 19 others. As in Dallas, a police officer had to physically enter the vehicle to move it. Austin City Council members demanded a meeting with Waymo to address the problem and Waymo did not attend.

Each time there is an incident, Waymo downplays the issue, claims it is fixing the software, or issues a recall. Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics should not be delayed by automation that is clearly not ready to be placed on our streets and highways.

“Waymo keeps calling these incidents learning opportunities. Families who lost loved ones in Dallas and Austin deserve more than a corporate learning curve. There need to be enforceable standards not talking points before these vehicles are allowed to operate in our cities.”

“So far no penalty has been announced for Waymo, which could easily afford the cost of a traffic ticket with its multibillion-dollar valuation. Regulations are weak and cities have no authority to deal with the situation. If you operate autonomous vehicles the rules don’t seem to apply to you.

“Waymo has repeatedly ignored concerns, such as a request by the Austin ISD that it stop operating during certain hours when its vehicles continued to pass school buses stopped with their warning equipment operating to protect students.”

— Amy Witherite, Founding Attorney, Witherite Law Group

Amy Witherite of Witherite Law Group, a Dallas personal injury attorney who has closely followed autonomous vehicle safety issues, is available to discuss the legal and public safety implications of Waymo’s emergency response failures including questions of liability, regulatory gaps, and what accountability should look like when autonomous vehicle technology fails in life-or-death situations.

About Witherite Law Group

Witherite Law Group is a Dallas-based personal injury firm focused on traffic safety, trucking accidents, and emerging transportation technology. Founding attorney Amy Witherite is a recognized advocate for victims of negligence on Texas roads and highways.