1992 Ford Econoline

I AM A DETECTIVE WITH THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT, WV. ON 7/16/04 I WITNESSED A 1992 FORD VAN VIN#: [XXX] ON U. S. ROUTE 50 TRAVELING AT 100 MPH AND THE HORN BLOWING. THE VEHICLE LEFT THE ROADWAY AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING, WHICH MYSELF AND ANOTHER OFFICER ATTEMPTED TO GET THE DRIVER OUT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH ONCE WITH IN A FEW FEET THE VEHICLE ERUPTED INTO FLAMES. THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT IT WAS FOUND THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING EAST ON U. S. ROUTE 50 FROM THE PARKERSBURG, WV AREA TOWARDS HER RESIDENCE IN SALEM, WV. THE DRIVER SHOULD HAVE EXITED U. S. ROUTE 50 APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES PRIOR TO THE CRASH SITE IN BRIDGEPORT, WV AND DID NOT DO SO BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS AT FULL THROTTLE FOR SOME REASON. THE DRIVER WAS WITNESSED AS FAR AS 8 MILES WEST OF THE CRASH SITE BLOWING HER HORN AND FLASHING HER LIGHTS TO WARN DRIVERS OF HER PROBLEM. THERE IS A TOTAL OF 2 WITNESSES WHO GAVE STATEMENTS TO THE DRIVERS ACTIONS WHILE TRAVELING ON U. S. ROUTE 50, PLUS WHAT I WITNESSED AS THE VEHICLE PASSED MY LOCATION ABOUT 1/2 MILE BEFORE THE CRASH SITE. THE BRAKES OF THE VEHICLE WERE EXAMINED BY MYSELF AND TWO MECHANICS AND WERE FOUND TO BE COMPLETELY WORN DOWN AND THERE WAS SOME GOUGE MARKS IN THE ROTORS OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE PASSED MY LOCATION I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE ROARING AT FULL THROTTLE AND WITH THE HORN BLOWING CONSTANTLY THAT THIS WAS MORE THAN JUST A DRUNK OR SPEEDER. THE FAMILY OF THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BRAKES PUT ON A FEW MONTHS AND THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN ONLY A FEW TIMES SINCE. I FOUND TWO RECALLS ON WWW.ALLDATA.COM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ON; 1. SPEED CONTROL - INOPERATIVE, 2. ACCELERATOR CABLE -SERVICE PROCEDURES/TIPS. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *JB UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THE FUEL FILL RUBBER TUBE AND VENT TUBE, CONNECTING THE EXTERIOR NOZZEL FILL TO THE FUEL TANK HAS FAILED AND RAW GASOLINE IS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE PARTS HAVE FAILED FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, NO TRAMATIC EVENT CUASED FAILURE. FORD DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBLILITY FOR SUCH A BASIC FUEL CONTAINMENT SYSTEM FAILURE, OTHER THAN TO REFUSE TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN OUT OF THEIR DEALERSHIP, FOR FEAR OF IMMEDIATE FIRE. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD NOT FAIL ON A PERFECTLY MAINTAINED 1992 VEHICLE! I AM SURE THIS IS NOT THE ONLY FAILURE OF THIS BASIC SAFETY SYSTEM. THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE DANGER TO PERSON AND PROPERTY CAUSED BY THIS DEFECT. THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING UP ON THIS. *AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON 190 HEADED EAST AND WITHOUT WARNING THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL SNAPPED OFF, AND SHE SPINNED AROUND ABOUT THREE TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A HALT, FACING THE FLOW OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. DATE WAS SEPT 98 //// 15 JUL 99. DRIVING ON 195 WITH MY ENTIRE FAMILY AND SOME FRIENDS AT ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR THE LEFT REAR WHEEL SNAPPED OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND WE BEGAN TO SKID ABOUT 150-200 METERS. THE VAN FISHTAILED. BUT I COMPENSATED IT WITH MY STEERING. AFTER COMING TO A HALT WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE SKIDDING ON OUR GAS TANK, WHICH WAS BUSTED AT THAT TIME. FUEL WAS EVERY WHERE BUT NO EXPLOSION. THANK THE LORD!