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Toyota Orders Inspections After Fiery Santee Crash

POSTED: 11:50 am PDT September 15, 2009
UPDATED: 12:05 pm PDT September 15, 2009

Toyota has ordered dealers to inspect their cars after a floor mat was suspected of snaring the accelerator pedal of a Lexus that crashed in San Diego County and killed four.

Torrance-based Toyota Motor Sales USA announced Monday that dealers must make sure all Lexus and Toyota vehicles have the proper mats.

Mark Saylor and his wife Cleofe, both 45, their 13-year-old daughter, Mahala, and 38-year-old brother-in-law, Chris Lastrella, died Aug. 28 when a Lexus ES 350 loaned to them by Bob Baker Lexus in El Cajon crashed. The family's own vehicle was being serviced.

Witnesses say the car was doing more than 120 mph when it went off an embankment in Santee.

10News obtained a copy of the 911 call made by Lastrella, who described the situation to the dispatcher.

Lastrella: "We're on North 125 and our accelerator is stuck."

911 Dispatcher: "I'm sorry?"

Lastrella: "Our accelerator is stuck. We're on 125."

911 Dispatcher: "Northbound 125. What are you passing?"

Lastrella: "We're going 120. Mission Gorge. We're in trouble. We can't … there is no brakes. End freeway half mile."

911 dispatcher: "You can't do anything like turn off your engine?"

Lastrella: "We're approaching the intersection. We're approaching the intersection. We're approaching the intersection."

Others in the care are heard saying "hold on" and "pray."

A preliminary investigation found that their loaner car had a mat from another Lexus model that may have caused the accelerator to get stuck.
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