Date: Feb. 12, 2007
Victim: Phat X. Nguyen
Location: San Diego
Model: 1997 Toyota Avalon
Details: Phat X. Nguyen, who developed a vigorous exercise routine while serving in the South Vietnamese air force, was on his way to the gym when he lost control of his 1997 Avalon on Mission Village Drive in San Diego. He crashed into two utility poles and was critically injured.
He died on May 22, 2007, of complications related to the crash, his daughter, June, said in an interview. Nguyen was 72.
Nguyen immigrated to the United States in 1975 and worked as a bus mechanic before retiring.
After reading reports of sudden acceleration problems in Toyota vehicles, June Nguyen filed a complaint this month with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 1997 Avalon has not been recalled.
"The Avalon was a really strong car and would accelerate really quickly," June Nguyen said. "There are a lot of things that are unresolved. We don't really know what happened."
-- Stuart Pfeifer, Carol J. Williams and Robert Faturechi
Victim: Phat X. Nguyen
Location: San Diego
Model: 1997 Toyota Avalon
Details: Phat X. Nguyen, who developed a vigorous exercise routine while serving in the South Vietnamese air force, was on his way to the gym when he lost control of his 1997 Avalon on Mission Village Drive in San Diego. He crashed into two utility poles and was critically injured.
He died on May 22, 2007, of complications related to the crash, his daughter, June, said in an interview. Nguyen was 72.
Nguyen immigrated to the United States in 1975 and worked as a bus mechanic before retiring.
After reading reports of sudden acceleration problems in Toyota vehicles, June Nguyen filed a complaint this month with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 1997 Avalon has not been recalled.
"The Avalon was a really strong car and would accelerate really quickly," June Nguyen said. "There are a lot of things that are unresolved. We don't really know what happened."
-- Stuart Pfeifer, Carol J. Williams and Robert Faturechi