2001 Toyota Avalon

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ON OCT. 7, 2009, AT ABOUT 3:00 PM EDT ON A SUNNY DAY IN BRADENTON, FL, I WAS DRIVING ALONE WHILE SOBER, ALERT, AND HEALTHY AT ABOUT 35 MPH ON A PAVED SIDE ROAD [XXX] APPROACHING A RED STOPLIGHT AT U.S. 41 SO. WITH 2 OR 3 CARS STOPPED AHEAD OF ME FOR THE LIGHT. ABOUT 100 YARDS BEFORE THE STOPLIGHT, I APPLIED MY FOOTBRAKE,[XXX] (OK WHEN INSPECTED &DRIVEN A WEEK EARLIER AS PART OF OIL CHANGE &GENERAL CHECKUP). THE FOOT PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, WITH NO BRAKING EFFECT. I SWERVED TO THE LEFT OF THE CARS AHEAD OF ME AND MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN WHEN I REACHED U.S. 41, TO AVOID HITTING/BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. MY CAR ROLLED OVER AND CRASHED. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE CAR'S ROOF[XXX] . I NEVER LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT THE PAIN WAS TERRIBLE. I BLED, UPSIDE DOWN, FOR ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES, FEARING ANOTHER CRASH FROM ONCOMING CARS, HANGING FROM MY SEATBELT. A BYSTANDER STANCHED THE BLOOD EVENTUALLY. THE PARAMEDICS SHOWED UP IN AN AMBULANCE& TOOK ME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT MANATEE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN BRADENTON. THE DR. CLEANED VERY PAINFUL GLASS SHARDS FROM MY MULTIPLE SCALP WOUNDS, THEN PUT IN FIVE STAPLES& RELEASED ME. TWO SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES INTERVIEWED ME& SAID MY CAR'S TIRE-MARKS SHOWED SIGNS OF ACCELERATION. I DENIED ACCELERATING; IT MADE NO SENSE TO ME UNTIL RECENT STORIES IN THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT TOYOTA BRAKE PROBLEMS AND SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION IN OTHER CASES. A FRIEND PICKED ME UP. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE GARAGE OF ELMER'S TOWING, WHICH HAD TOWED MY TOTALLY WRECKED CAR. I ASKED FOR THE FOOT BRAKES TO BE CHECKED. THEY WERE NORMAL. I FOUND THIS VERY PUZZLING; IT ONLY MADE SENSE RECENTLY AS I READ AND HEARD ON TV ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS BY OTHER WITH TOYOTAS. SHELLY DEVANE OF ELMER'S IS A WITNESS TO THE REPORT OF OK BRAKES. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES CAUSED THE WRECK. I DID NOT FILE THIS COMPLAINT EARLIER BECAUSE THE EVIDENCE IS CIRCUMSTANTIAL & THE CAR NOW GONE. *TR

GOING HOME ON NORTH ON LOS OLIVOS RD (25 MPH ZONE) AND ROLLING TO A FOUR WAY STOP CROSSING MANZINITA RD (NE SANTA ROSA, CA) MY 2001 AVALON ACCELERATED AT FULL THROTTLE (ROAR). I HAD MY FOOT ON BRAKE SO I WAS SHOCKED. PRESSING HARD ON BRAKE THE ACCELERATOR DISENGAGED AFTER ABOUT 3 SECONDS. I TOLD MY WIFE THAT I HAD A SENIOR MOMENT, THINKING I HAD PRESSED ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE AT SAME TIME. NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN. SEEING 2001 AVALON MENTIONED USA TODAY MOTIVATED THIS. *TR