Hoosier survives scary situation is Lexus SUV

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Neither the Prius nor any model of Toyota's luxury brand Lexus are included in the recall, but a number of cases of unintended acceleration have made national headlines involving those vehicles.

24-Hour News 8 spoke exclusively to a Central Indiana woman who survived a scary situation in her Lexus SUV. She had never had trouble with it until now. Her Lexus SUV surged forward unexpectedly in January, weeks before the recalls. Now a number of Lexus owners across the country are reporting the very same problem.

It was last August. An off-duty California highway patrolman was taking his family to his daughter's soccer game when his borrowed Lexus began to speed out of control. His brother-in-law, Chris Lastrella, called 911 from the back seat.

"We're in trouble, there's no breaks," Lastrella told the operator. "We're approaching the intersection. We're approaching the intersection. Pray."

Seconds later the car hit an embankment, landed in a dry river bed, and burst into flames killing the highway patrolman, his wife, daughter and brother-in-law.

No models of Toyota's luxury brand Lexus are included in the recall, but Indianapolis attorney Kimberly Bacon said her Lexus SUV surged forward as she left work. Her car went straight over the curb stop and into the 8" steel reinforced concrete wall.

Her SUV lurched forward with such speed it caused extensive damage to the wall and totaled her vehicle.

"After I backed up, I had started to put the car in drive and it revved. And the next thing I knew it shot straight forward," said Bacon.

Her vehicle lurched over the curb stop and into the 8 inch steel reinforced concrete wall with such speed it caused extensive damage to the wall and totaled her vehicle. She said she hadn't yet put her foot on the gas pedal.

"The next thing I knew, my air bag was deployed and the wall was sticking out and my car had stopped," said Bacon. "It was such a blessing that the wall was reinforced because from what I understand, I would have gone completely through it."

While some experts insist the acceleration is caused by an electrical problem, Toyota believes floor mats and sticky gas pedals are to blame. Company leaders say the problem is limited to just the recalled vehicles.

But, Kimberly Bacon isn’t convinced. Her Lexus is totaled, and she says she will not buy another one.