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A vehicle inspector hired by attorneys
for a St. Paul man imprisoned after a fatal crash in his Toyota
Camry has found problems with the car's accelerator system,
according to a copy of his report.


      Inspector Richard Dusek wrote the accelerator-to-throttle
linkage in Koua Fong Lee's 1996 Camry did not move freely and
stayed stuck in the idle position. "This could have held the
throttle open after the accelerator pedal was released for a
braking maneuver," he wrote.


      Dusek also found the cruise control and throttle mechanisms were
stuck together when the inspection started and that, too, "could
have contributed to the failure of the driver's release of the
Accelerator Pedal to affect engine and vehicle speed."


      The St. Paul Pioneer Press first reported on the inspector's
conclusions Thursday.


      Lee insisted at his trial and in recent interviews from prison
that he did everything he could to stop his 1996 Camry as it sped
up a freeway exit ramp and slammed into an Oldsmobile in June 2006.
Three people died, and Lee is now serving an eight-year prison
sentence for criminal vehicular homicide.


      Recent reports of sudden acceleration in Toyotas prompted a new
look at his case. Mechanics for Lee, the victim's family and the
Ramsey County attorney's office inspected the Camry in late April.


      Dusek also judged from an inspection of the left rear brake
light that Lee was braking at the time of the accident. That
conclusion had been reported previously.


      He noted that the inspection did not include the operation of
the electronics that controlled the vehicle's engine and cruise
control, although he did look at them and saw nothing wrong.


      Janet Hafner, a spokeswoman with the Ramsey County attorney's
office, said the office had not yet received the defense report nor
the inspection report from its own experts and had no comment
Thursday.
      

Gallery

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Experts inspect Toyota involved in fatal St. Paul crash

Driver in fatal Toyota crash seeks new trial

Crime, Law and Justice

A vehicle inspector hired by attorneys
for a St. Paul man imprisoned for a fatal crash in his Toyota Camry
has found problems with the car's accelerator system.

Defense exam of Camry finds throttle problems

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