Judge Denies Toyota New Trial In Fatal Minnesota Crash
MINNEAPOLIS (AP/WCCO) — A federal judge has denied a new trial for Toyota Motor Corp. in a lawsuit resulting from a fatal crash in Minnesota.
U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery ruled Monday the jury reached a reasonable conclusion that an accelerator defect was the key factor in the 2006 crash.
Montgomery rejected Toyota's arguments and affirmed most of the $11 million the jury awarded the plaintiffs. In addition, the judge added interest that pushes the amount past $13 million.
In February, a jury determined that Toyota was 60 percent to blame for a crash that killed three people and seriously injured two others in St. Paul. Koua Fong Lee, driver of a 1996 Camry, was found 40 percent responsible for the crash.
Toyota says it's considering its options.
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