Dimitri Garcia, 22, and Emil Smith, 18, were killed in a Riverside car accident early morning on July 18, 2010, according to a news report in The Press-Enterprise. The accident occurred when Garcia, who was driving a Dodge Neon, lost control and hit the dirt median and spun into oncoming traffic on Domenigoni Parkway in Hemet. A minivan that was going east on the roadway failed to avoid the Dodge and hit the driver’s side of the car.
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The Lexus HS 250h luxury hybrid sedan is one of the latest recalls issued by the Toyota brand of cars and trucks. If you own a Lexus HS 250h you should not drive it until Toyota can determine why the fuel system leaks when the car is struck from behind.

Toyota has covered up car problems in the past, and to date has been fined over $20 million by the federal government for placing cars on the market with known defects. There are currently over 200 lawsuits pending across the country involving Toyota brand cars and trucks.
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Eric Gilhooley, 15, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after he was struck by a Chevy Suburban SUV that went off the road and entered a sidewalk. According to a news report in The Signal, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred on Soledad Canyon Road near Gailxy Avenue, in Canyon Country, the morning of July 18, 2010. The teenager died at the scene. The driver of the SUV sustained minor injuries. No arrests have been made pending an investigation. Police do not suspect the involvement of drugs or alcohol. All they have said is that the SUV struck the curb and overturned striking Eric.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Eric Gilhooley for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Obviously, this young man was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Tragic! Please keep this grieving family in your thoughts and prayers.
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A California company is issuing a defective product recall for about 45,000 Karino Baby Pacifiers because they could present a choking hazard. According to an Associated Press news report, the recalled products, distributed by Antonio Flores in San Ysidro, California, were sold at independent grocery stores in California and Texas. The pacifiers were sold between October 2009 and March 2010 for about 25 cents.
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Toyota Motor Corporation has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury in New York over documents related to vehicle defects involving steering relay rods. According to an Associated Press news report, the Japanese auto maker is under investigation for delaying the recall of vehicles with defective steering rods.
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Toyota stocks have fallen again after the newest voluntary recall of nearly 17,000 Lexus HS 250h luxury hybrid sedans. The car is being recalled because the fuel tank might leak gas when the car is involved in a rear end collision. A fuel leak under these conditions could cause the car to explode. Think of it as the modern day Ford Pinto.

This same model hybrid was recalled back in February for software issues involved in the anti-lock braking system. In that instance, the brakes were not stopping the cars with the security that was expected. Needless to say, Lexus owners are not happy about the ongoing problems with their cars, and wonder what will happen next.
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Chelsea Marie Jenner, 19, was killed in a San Diego car accident July 10, 2010. According to a news report in the San Diego Union-Tribune, the fatal crash occurred on Alpine Boulevard near Bay Meadows Drive. Jenner was the lone occupant of a PT Cruiser and was traveling east on Alpine Boulevard. At the time, she failed to brake for vehicles that were stopped at the intersection and were waiting to turn left. Jenner’s vehicle clipped the rear of an SUV. Her car rolled over on the westbound lanes where the PT Cruiser was struck by another vehicle. Jenner was pronounced dead at the scene. Fire officials said an elderly man in a blue Toyota was also transported to an area hospital with a bleeding arm. An investigation is ongoing.
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A 38-year-old Garden Grove man has been detained in connection with a Newport Beach car accident, which killed 43-year-old bicyclist Michael William Nine on July 15, 2010. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, police detained Jose Luis Huerta Mundo and placed him on an immigration hold because he had been deported once before. Mundo backed up his landscaping truck and hit Nine who was riding with a group of bicyclists on Spyglass Hill Road. The accident is still under investigation.
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In our article Car Seat Back Testing Gets an F, we discuss how nearly every major auto maker in the United States as been sued in a court of law for manufacturing weak, unsafe seats that are prone to failure in rear-end collisions. They know the seats will sometimes collapse, but do nothing to improve seat stability.

Brian Chase on Fox 11 News Los Angeles

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Romaine lettuce salad products have been recalled because of food poisoning concerns. According to a news report in Consumeraffairs.com, the salads packaged by Fresh Express, are being recalled because they may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. So far no illnesses or deaths have been linked to this recall. The company is encouraging consumers to throw away expired products or any that are still sitting in the refrigerator. Retailers have also been told to check their inventories to make sure that these products are not mistakenly sold to consumers.
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