This reminds me of the part of Game of Thrones where Cersei empowers a religious faction.

She reinstated the Faith Militant, a militant religious order that had been disbanded for centuries, and elevated the High Sparrow, an ascetic populist preacher, to High Septon.

Her intent was just instrumental: use a crazy religious faction as a weapon against her political enemies while assuming she could keep it on a leash.

I don't think Elon specifically intended for a death by car crash on this person when mentioning him by name.

But I also don't think he knows of or cares about the potential of his cult following.