NHTSA Complaint #11019094 — 2016 RAM 1500

ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017, MY 2016 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP TRUCK WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING IN A BOAT RAMP WITH MY BOAT TRAILER ATTACHED AND BACKED INTO THE WATER NEXT TO THE DOCK. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT ON. I EXITED THE VEHICLE, WALKED DOWN THE BOAT DOCK, STEPPED TO THE BACK OF MY BOAT, WALKED TO THE FRONT OF THE BOAT, CLIMBED DOWN TO THE TONGUE OF THE TRAILER, PULLED OUT THE STRAP AND ATTACHED IT TO MY BOAT, BEGAN TO CRANK THE BOAT TO THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER, WHEN SUDDENLY THE TRUCK STARTED ROLLING BACKWARD INTO THE WATER. BY THE TIME I COULD JUMP FROM THE TONGUE OF THE TRAILER, CLIMB ON THE DOCK, DIVE INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW, CRAWL ACROSS TO THE DRIVERS SEAT AND TRY TO STOP AND START THE TRUCK, IT WAS TOO LATE. THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START AND I COULD NOT STOP IT BECAUSE IT WAS BEGINNING TO FLOAT. THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO THE LAKE, DESPITE BEING IN PARK. THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION MUST HAVE MOVED FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL OR REVERSE TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE NEARLY SUBMERGED. ALL OF THE WINDOWS WERE OPENED AND THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH WATER TO WITHIN APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT FROM THE CEILING OF THE CAB. WHEN THE VEHICLE AND TRAILER WERE TOWED OUT OF THE WATER, THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN PARK AND COULD NOT BE PUT INTO NEUTRAL. IT WAS DRAGGED IN PARK FOR ABOUT 50 YARDS TO CLEAR IT FROM THE BUSY BOAT RAMP. THE MANISTEE COUNTY SHERIFF COMPLAINT # FOR THIS ACCIDENT IS: 151-1628-17. PICTURES ARE ATTACHED. AAA INSURANCE HAS DECLARED THE TRUCK A TOTAL LOSS.