NHTSA Complaint #10444425 — 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS

I ROLLED SLOWLY (<1 MPH) UPHILL TO THE PARKING SLOT (L.A. CODE, 2%GRADE DOWN AWAY FROM BUILDINGS) UP TO THE PARKING CEMENT STOP, AND WAS READY TO SHUT IT DOWN. THE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE, ABOUT TO GO OVER THE CEMENT STOP WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR CONTINUED OVER THE CEMENT STOP. I PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR STARTED TO DRIVE OVER THE SIDEWALK. THEN THE CAR DROVE THROUGH THE PLATE GLASS OF THE STUDIO AND THEN CAME TO A STOP INSIDE. I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND TRIED TO TURN THE CAR 'OFF'. THE CAR'S ENGINE WAS STILL ON AFTER SEVERAL TRIES TO TURN IT OFF AND I HAD MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND ON THE FLOOR. THEN THE CAR TOOK A TURN TO THE LEFT AND DROVE THROUGH THE WALL (MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE FLOOR). I GOT OUT OF THE CAR WITHOUT TAKING IT OUT OF NEUTRAL AND IT WAS STILL "ON". I TOOK THE KEY WITH ME TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM (I USED THE KEYLESS IGNITION) SO THE CAR SHOULD HAVE "CHIMED" BECAUSE; THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS OPEN, I WAS OUT OF THE CAR, AND THE CAR WAS STILL LEFT "ON". HOWEVER, THE CAR DID NOT CHIME (INDICATING IT DID NOT DETECT I WAS 12 FEET AWAY). MY TEACHER CAME UP TO THE SHATTERED GLASS WINDOW OF THE STUDIO AT THE SAME TIME THE SECURITY OFFICER FOR THE MINI MALL A FEW MINUTES AFTER I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. I WAS LOOKING FOR MY INSURANCE CARD IN MY PURSE WHEN THE THREE OF US WITNESSED THE CAR "REV" AGAIN AND THE WALL BEGAN TO SHATTER WITH PLASTER AND WOODEN STUDS FALLING AROUND THE CAR WITH NO ONE DRIVING (THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL). BECAUSE OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAR, WITHOUT A DRIVER AND IN THE WALL, THE SECURITY GUARD TRIED TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE BUILDING. THE TOWING COMPANY COULD NOT 'PULL' THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE WALL WITH THEIR TOW TRUCK FOR MORE THEN 20 MINUTES SO, I GAVE MY CAR KEY TO THE POLICE OFFICER AND HE GAVE IT TO THE TOWING COMPANY. THE MAN FROM THE TOWING COMPANY DROVE THE CAR OUT OF THE WALL AND OUT OF THE STUDIO.