# 2009 LEXUS ES350 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
> **FATAL** · NHTSA complaint `736641` · 2009-09-22 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 4
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** LEXUS
- **Model:** ES350
- **Year:** 2009
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
## Narrative
ON AUGUST 28, 2009, FOUR OCCUPANTS OF A 2009 LEXUS ES350 TRAGICALLY AND UNNECESSARILY DIED IN SANTE, CALIFORNIA IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOLLOWING A HIGH SPEED LOSS OF CONTROL AND ROLLOVER EVENT.  THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION WAS A LOANER CAR FROM BOB BAKER LEXUS IN EL CAJON, CALIFORNIA.  DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, 45, A 19 YEAR VETERAN OF THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL.  THE DRIVER HAD OBTAINED THE VEHICLE THAT DAY AFTER DROPPING OFF HIS LEXUS FOR SERVICE.  WITNESSES REPORT THAT THE OFFICER WAS MANEUVERING THE LEXUS IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED ON STATE ROUTE 125, HONKING HIS HORN WITH THE HAZARD LIGHTS ON, PRIOR TO THE HIGHWAY ENDING AT AN INTERSECTION.   THE OFFICER ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE A TURN BUT COULD NOT AVOID STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND LOSING CONTROL BECAUSE OF HIS HIGH RATE OF SPEED.  ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES, AND CAUGHT FIRE.  ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE DIED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. PRIOR TO ENTERING THE INTERSECTION, AN OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE CALLED 911 EMERGENCY TO REPORT THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK.  HE REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 120 MILES PER HOUR AND THAT THEY WERE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION.  OCCUPANTS ARE HEARD TELLING EACH OTHER TO PRAY BEFORE A WOMAN SCREAMS AND THE CALL SUDDENLY ENDS. THE OFFICER(DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, HIS WIFE , 45, AND THEIR 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER  ALL DIED IN THE CRASH.  THE WIFE'S BROTHER, 38, ALSO DIED.  ON BEHALF OF THE SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE DECEDENTS, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOU TO INVESTIGATE WHY T
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*