Thursday, February 25, 2010
Kuoa Fong Lee
What’s been a nightmare for Toyota executives might prove to be freedom for Koua Fong Lee. The Hmong refugee from Laos was living in Minnesota in June 2006 and returning from church with his pregnant wife, his small child and other members of his family, when his car smashed into another vehicle while traveling between 70 and 90 miles per hour, killing three members of one family. Lee contended at his trial that the brakes on his 1996 Toyota Camry failed to work, but the jury did not believe his defense. He’s currently serving an eight-year sentence in state prison.
But in light of the recalls and considerable publicity about Toyota’s mechanical problems, Lee’s attorney is insisting that his client’s case be re-examined. The local prosecutor, Susan Gaertner, has said she’s open to inspecting Lee’s car to see if it might have suddenly accelerated on its own, as other Toyota’s have been known to do, and the families of the victims have also expressed support for the reexamination.
Although the ‘96 Camry is not currently being recalled by the manufacturer, at least 17 owners of the vehicle have reported problems with the accelerator to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
New Evidence of Runaway Toyotas May Help Imprisoned Camry Owner (by Joseph Rhee and Brian Ross, ABC News)
Comments