Out-of-control ES 350 crash claims 4 lives, causes brush fire

[slk_dds]

Originally Posted by Och

Now, I dont know about the ES, but most other lexus throttle pedals are actually almost impossible to jam with a floor mat. I'm not sure how to explain it, but the bottom portion of throttle pedal is right on the floor, and its the upper portion that is operable, so theres no space between the pedal and the floor and you cant really jam anythign in there.

As far as I know, for the front-wheel drive vehicles would have hanging petal, and rear-wheel drive vehicles would have floor mounted petal.

Both Camry (okay...ES350) and RX350 has hanging petal instead of floor mounted petal that is on LS460, GS', and IS'.

My sympthy to their remaining family, RIP.

But again, anyone with common sense would of shift the gear to N and then use both regular brake and the foot brake to slow down the vehicle!!!

[CK6Speed]

Sad news. In this case the parking brake may not have helped much to slow or stop the car. Isn't it just a small drum parking brake within the rear rotor hat? Usually I have to press the parking brake pedal pretty hard (Nearly to the floor) on my GS to keep it from rolling on a hill if the car is not in park. Being it was an ES that is FWD going about 100 MPH, I'm not sure that little rear parking brake drum would have done much.

[SLegacy99]

Originally Posted by Och

This is very very sad.

Back in 98-99 I was in a similar situation. My back then girlfriend was driving this Nissan that her father just bought her a day before. Her father also happened to own a repair shop, and he had one of his mechanics inspect the car and repair whatever needed to be repaired. In any case we were driving up to a red light and all of a sudden she starts screaming "OMG it wont slow down" or something to that effect. Her reaction was to cover her eyes and scream.... I reacted by throwing the car into neutral and pulling the handbrake so hard that I was barely able to release it after. I also started blowing the horn as we were sliding through the intersection. Luckily we were able to avoid an accident. We called her father, and he came by along with the mechanic that was doing the work, they opened the hood and discovered a tool that was left over by the mechanic in the engine bay and jammed the throttle cable. I remember her father looked at his mechanic and said to him "you almost killed my daughter".

In any case, with new cars that do not have a proper throttle cable, ignition key, or gear shifter, and instead rely on electronics, if these electotronics go wrong, you cant even control anything if electronics decide to go nuts.

That was my first thought, shift the car out of a gear. But then I do it at every stop light and intersection since I drive a stick.

[GS3Tek]

Originally Posted by slk_dds

As far as I know, for the front-wheel drive vehicles would have hanging petal, and rear-wheel drive vehicles would have floor mounted petal.

Both Camry (okay...ES350) and RX350 has hanging petal instead of floor mounted petal that is on LS460, GS', and IS'.

My sympthy to their remaining family, RIP.

But again, anyone with common sense would of shift the gear to N and then use both regular brake and the foot brake to slow down the vehicle!!!

Definitely a sad (but preventable) story. I echo everyone's memo about shifting it to neutral at the very least. It might be easier to type that than what had happened.

The 2nd GS (RWD) has a hanging accelerator though.

[MaxNine]

Originally Posted by SLegacy99

That was my first thought, shift the car out of a gear. But then I do it at every stop light and intersection since I drive a stick.

We have a winner!

Love my stick shifts, hate the e-throttles!

I actually have all-weather mats in the IS300.

It seems to me that the problem lies in whether they put the all-weather mats on top of the carpet mats on the car. The a-w mats won't be anchored down like the carpet mats.

[Yotarip]

Just say this on fox news. The recorded 911 call is disturbing. The vehicle is only described as 09 lex sedan that traveling at 120mph before crashing at an intersection.

[FisforFast]

Guess the driver never heard of brakes or turning off the ignition.

[4TehNguyen]

sadly you dont get to learn emergency handling during drivers ed, wouldve saved their lives probably: cutting ignition, shifting to neutral, not sure if you can brake a car at 120mph + engine torque, might cook the brakes but its worth a try.

[JessePS]

what sad news.

[mmarshall]

Is this the crash you are refering to? You did not include a link or an explanation with the thread.

http://www.sandiego6.com/mostpopular...AGAjQsByg.cspx

CHULA VISTA - A Highway Patrol officer, his wife, daughter and brother-in-law -- all killed in a fiery crash in Santee -- will be remembered at a memorial service Saturday in Chula Vista.

Mark Saylor and his wife Cleofe, both 45, their 13-year-old daughter Mahala and 38-year-old brother-in-law Chris Lastrella were killed in the crash at 6:35 p.m. Aug. 28 at the end of state Route 125 at Mission Gorge Road.

The officer was off-duty at the time of the crash.

They were in a 2009 Lexus loaned by Bob Baker Lexus in El Cajon while their vehicle was being serviced, authorities said. One of the occupants, believed to be Cleofe Saylor, called 911 to report the accelerator in the loaner vehicle was stuck.

Witnesses said the car was going more than 100 mph shortly before the crash.

The car collided with an SUV waiting to turn left at the end of Highway125, and continued across Mission Gorge Road, crashed through a fence and ended up on fire in the bed of the San Diego River.

All four victims died at the scene.

A public Celebration of Life will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Calvary Chapel, 1771 E. Palomar St., Chula Vista, CHP Officer Brad Baehr said.

A viewing will be held from 2 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m., Baehr said.

The family welcomes participation by the public and CHP, but law enforcement officers are asked to wear civilian clothes, according to Baehr.


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Previous story:

SANTEE - The victims of a crash apparently caused by a stuck accelerator in a car loaned by an El Cajon dealership were positively identified Monday as an off-duty CHP officer, his wife, teenage daughter and brother-in-law.

Killed in the fiery collision around 6:35 p.m. Friday, at the end of state Route 125 at Mission Gorge Road, were California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor of Chula Vista; his 45-year-old wife, Cleofe; 13-year-old daughter, Mahala; and 38-year-old brother-in-law, Chris Lastrella, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

The Saylor family was in a Lexus that was going more than 100 mph when it clipped a Ford Explorer, smashed through a fence and hit an embankment, which launched the car into the bed of the San Diego River, where it burst into flames.

The driver of the Explorer, Phillip Pretty, 52, was hospitalized with moderate injuries.

Both vehicles had been going north on SR 125, and the driver of Explorer was trying to turn left when the SUV was struck from behind, according to law enforcement and witness reports.

Someone believed to be Saylor's wife called 911 to report that the car's accelerator was stuck, CHP Officer Brian Pennings said. That downhill stretch of northbound 125 near Grossmont College intersects one of the busiest streets in the county.

Saylors' regular vehicle was being serviced at Bob Baker Lexus, which issued them the loaner car that crashed.

A sales manager for the dealership, Blair Carter, told SignOn San Diego that employees' hearts sunk when they learned about the crash. He said the car was equipped with a system that should have shut off the engine if there was a major malfunction.

Saylor, 45, was a safety officer who inspected school buses, ambulances, tow trucks and armored vehicles.

[MGS4]

updates

http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/...uxTtxrK4Q.cspx

All 09 Lexus sedan come with Engine Start Button. I think the driver didn't know how to shut the engine off while the car was moving.

[ba-b4]

sad.. sounds like he stomped on the brakes but no use.. gotta remember if something like that happens.. neutral and then brakes.

[mmarshall]

Interesting. I'm not going to try and pass premature judgement here, but, right off-hand, it would seem like a CHP officer, with the police-cruiser training they get, would know how to deal with a stuck throttle. Transmission to neutral is usually the first step, which, of course, cuts off the flow of power to the drive wheels. What you DON'T want to do, unless you have to, is to cut off the engine, because then you will lose power steering and, after a couple of pushes when the vacuum reservoir is depleted, the power assist for the brakes.

[bruce van]

That's really sad news.

[trixxx519]

dont u just push the start button once? why do u have to hold it for 3sec?