News Articles

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A woman under arrest on suspicion of drunken driving was fatally burned Wednesday when a car slammed into the back of a parked Arizona highway patrol cruiser in which she was seated, igniting both vehicles and another cruiser in front, authorities said.

Lt. James Warriner, an Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman, said both DPS Ford Crown Victoria police interceptors were equipped with fire suppression systems that deployed, according to a preliminary investigation.

 Friday, January 20, 2006Howells, who lost children in fiery limo wreck, say they want to ensure safety
By James RomoserJOURNAL REPORTER

MOCKSVILLE

The parents of three sisters who died in 2003 in a limousine fire said yesterday that their two-year legal battle with Ford Motor Co. illuminated a serious fuel-tank safety problem and made other limos safer.

 Thursday, January 19, 2006Sisters were killed when limo was hit from behind, caught fire
By James RomoserJOURNAL REPORTER

The family of three sisters who burned to death in a limousine wreck on Interstate 40 reached an out-of-court settlement with Ford Motor Co. yesterday, ending a wrongful-death lawsuit over the design of the vehicle’s fuel tank.

Ford’s request to keep Crown Vic class actions together is declined

May 27, 2004

BY MARGARET CRONIN FISK
BLOOMBERG

Ford Motor Co. must face state court trials in 15 class actions filed by police departments over its Crown Victoria police vehicle, a federal judge said.

March 3, 2003

Washington, D.C – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today released a letter calling upon the U.S Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to take immediate steps to protect the thousands of police officers – across the state and the country – who are currently driving Crown Victoria police vehicles.

Carmaker says trials done prior to ruling

March 17, 2004

BY JENNIFER DIXON
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

An Illinois judge has ordered Ford Motor Co. to conduct a crash test on plastic trunk packs that were offered in Crown Victoria police cars to protect gas tanks from rupturing in high-impact rear crashes.

Ford won’t reimburse work on Crown Vics

March 5, 2004

BY SARAH A. WEBSTER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Ford Motor Co., which is being sued by dozens of cities and counties over the safety of its Crown Victoria police cars, said Thursday it will not pay for the fire suppression systems the City of Dallas plans to install on 775 of their police cars.

 

Jason Schechterle, a Phoenix officer who was severely burned when his Crown Victoria police car was hit, says Ford must make the car safer. (Al Hartmann/The Salt Lake Tribune)

By Linda Fantin
The Salt Lake Tribune

    Officer Christopher Witte is not happy. It's his first traffic stop of the night, and he just got a flat tire on a busy stretch of the busiest interstate in Utah.

Aug. 04, 2003ROGER ALFORD
Associated Press

SALYERSVILLE, Ky.

It could worsen police car fuel leaks, officials say

July 16, 2003

BY JOCELYN PARKER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

A device Ford Motor Co.