NHTSA Complaint #10206378 — 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA

I AM A POLICE OFFICER AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE ON TRAFFIC STOPS, THAT MY ASSIGNED 2006 IMPALA HAS ROLLED BACKWARDS AFTER I HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE CAR TO APPROACH A TRAFFIC VIOLATOR; I HAD TO JUMP BACK IN AND PUT IT BACK IN PARK.. ON 10/ 04/07 THIS CAR ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE. I BLOCKED AN ENTRANCE RAMP AND WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR I STOOD BY THE OPEN DRIVER DOOR. THE CAR JUMPED INTO GEAR AND BACKED OVER ME. I WAS DRUG BACKWARDS AND COULD NOT FREE MYSELFAS I WAS BEING HELPLESSLY DRAGGED UNDER MY CAR. WHEN THE CAR WENT INTO THE MEDIAN IT DUG MY BODY INTO THE DIRT. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I THEN JUMPED BACK IN AND STOPPED THE CAR FROM CROSSING THE EXPRESSWAY. I HAVE BEEN ON THE STREETS AS A BEAT OFFICER FOR OVER 21 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. I SPOKE WITH ANOTHER OFFICER AND HE ALSO HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHILE ON TRAFFIC STOPS. I WAS ADVISED BY FLEET MANAGEMENT THAT THERE HAS BEEN ONE OTHER INCIDENT REPORTED. MY PATROL CAR WAS TOWED ON OCT 8 AND LATER I WAS ADVISED BY FLEET MANAGEMENT THAT GM REPS LOOKED AT THE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. FLEET MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL REFUSE TO GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION AS FOR A CONTACT PERSON WITH GM. NOTE -AS OF 10/19/07 THEY STILL HAVE THE CAR UNDER LOCK AND KEY. I SUSTAINED ROAD RASH, BRUISING, CERVICAL STRAIN, AND A POSSIBLE FRACTURE IN MY BACK. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE PRESIDENT AND HE HAS BEEN GATHERING INFORMATION AS TO SEVERAL OTHER OFFICERS THAT HAVE HAD THEIR ASSIGNED 2006 IMPALA GO OUT OF GEAR AND STRIKE OBJECTS. IN ADDITION THEY HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH THE ACCIDENTS AND POINTS ASSESSED. PER MY FOP PRESIDENT AN INVESTIGATION IS BEING DONE TO REMOVE THOSE OFFICERS POINTS AND DICIPLINARY ACTION PER MY UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT. MY CONCERN NOW IS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, WHILE THESE CHEVY IMPALAS ARE BEING USED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. *TR