WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING AREA THE VEHICLES ENGINE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE UNTIL THE REAR BUMPER STRUCK A LIGHT POLE. DRIVER THEN PLACED THE TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD AT AN UNCONTROLLABLY HIGH SPEED, JUMPING THE CURB AND STRIKING A CONCRETE PILLAR, RESULTING IN CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT AREA OF THE VECHICLE AND BRUISING THE DRIVERS LEFT ARM. PRESSING HARD ON THE BRAKES SEEMED TO HAVE LITTLE OR NO EFFECT. IT APPEARS THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE/CRUISE CONTROL OR SOME RELATED MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONED. *AK