DRIVER CONCLUDED BUSINESS AT A DRIVE THROUGH ATM AT A LOCAL SHOPPING MALL. VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO 'DRIVE' AND AT THAT INSTANT THE ENGINE STARTED RACING AT HIGH SPEED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY. THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING AT TOP SPEED AND THE VEHICLE WAS PICKING UP MOMENTUM. THE DRIVER PUMPED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NO FEEDBACK RESPONSE COULD BE FELT. THE RAPID, UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE CENTERLINE AND INTO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC. WITH OPPOSING TRAFFIC APPROACHING THE DRIVER TURNED THE VEHICLE SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID A COLLISION. SEEING A NUMBER OF CARS STOPPED AT THE APPROACHING INTERSECTION TO THE MAIN ROAD, THE DRIVER CONTINUED TO STEER THE CAR HARD TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE THEN WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT AND STRUCK A STEEL LIGHT POLE RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE AND SIGNIFICANT INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. TOTAL TRAVEL DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATION TO IMPACT WAS APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET. TOTAL INCIDENT TIME AND FINAL SPEED ARE UNCERTAIN. *NM