2004
2002

11.22.2003
Phoenix police to test Impalas as patrol cars
Phoenix could buy 30 Chevrolet Impala police cars to test as possible replacements for its fleet of Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors, which have been implicated in the fire deaths of 14 patrolmen nationwide, including three in Arizona.

10.27.2003
Sheriff's deputy escapes serious injury
Matt Dominick, a deputy with the Boone County Sheriff's Department, escaped serious injury and possibly death in an accident last Saturday near the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and County Road R18. Dominick, who was in the path of the vehicle, jumped clear just before the vehicle slammed into the rear of his patrol car. The impact forced the patrol car forward some 75 feet where it burst into flames and exploded. Photos and more

Two Texas Locales Make Decisions about CVPI's
Tarrant County (Ft. Worth, TX) has decided that they will not buy any more Crown Victoria Police Interceptors.
Mesquite, TX, near Dallas, approved the spending for fire panels, fuel safety bladders and trunk packs for all 105 police cars.

7.29.2003
City of Dallas releases final Ford Crown Victoria crash test findings report
The City today released final findings of three crash tests of the Ford Crown Victoria police car, along with dramatic new videos and photos of the tests confirming the vehicle fails Ford's own 75 mph crash test standard for rear-impact safety.
   Press Release on the Dallas proposal
   City of Dallas letter to William Clay Ford, Jr
  City of Dallas letter to NHTSA

7.19.2003
Ford cuts off suing police
In the last week or so, Ford sent letters, dated July 10, to 36 police departments that are part of a class-action against the company informing them that the automaker no longer will accept orders for Crown Victoria Police Interceptors from them because they are demanding "unrealistic vehicle crash performance specifications.". Read The Letter

7.18.2003
Memorial for fallen trooper unveiled
WHITE PLAINS - New York State troopers gathered Friday to unveil a memorial to the fallen officer who was killed when his Ford Crown Victoria patrol car exploded in a car crash.

7.16.2003
Crown Vic trunk packs may worsen problem
DALLAS, July 16 (UPI) -- A device Ford hoped would protect Crown Victoria police cars from fuel tank leaks actually could make the problem worse, according to crash tests.

7.15.2003
Crash Tests Show Crown Victoria Fails Ford's Own 75 MPH Standard for Police Safety
DALLAS, TX -- City officials rushed to announce results of three crash tests of Ford Crown Victoria police cars today after one test showed the installation of a Ford trunk safety package may actually increase the danger of major fuel spillage and risk of burn injury in rear-end crashes..  

7.1.2003
Police seek vehicle fire guards, Called 'third piece of safety puzzle'
PHOENIX - Police want to install a fire-suppression system into its fleet of Crown Victoria police cruisers to further protect officers from flames if two other safeguards fail. "This is the third piece of the safety puzzle," said Jake Jacobsen, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association. "Now we have a redundant safety system, each one designed to do something a little different." 

7.1.2003
Autopsy on patrol car may tell why trooper died
Waiting somewhere in the charred, twisted hulk is a vital clue, perhaps several. Federal investigators began digging for that evidence today, hoping to find the cause of a May 23 crash that killed Missouri Highway Patrol trooper Michael Newton. Investigators from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration are conducting what they call an autopsy of Newton's patrol car, a Ford Crown Victoria. They will work all today and until the afternoon Wednesday.  

6.26.2003
Ford named in police vehicle suit
Madison County, don't rest on your laurels. A St. Clair County lawsuit filed against Ford Motor Co. over the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor was certified as a class-action this week. And one lawyer projected the case may be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. . . .  The lawsuit alleges the Crown Victoria Police Interceptors used as police cruisers present a danger to officers because of the rear fuel tank which could rupture during a rear-end collision and burst into flames.

6.15.2003
Crown Vic faces further scrutiny, Attorneys general task force to probe Ford police interceptors over fire-related deaths
WASHINGTON -- The nation's attorneys general formed a task force Friday to investigate the safety of Ford's Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. The bipartisan National Association of Attorneys General took the step at the group's national meeting in Oklahoma City. The probe is the latest in a string of actions by states and cities concerned about the safety record of the Crown Vic. Since 1996, more than a dozen police officers have died in fires when their cruisers were struck from behind.

6.13.2003
Union acts to protect troopers from car fires
Albany -- PBA president advises no highway stops except in emergencies Ê By JAMES M. ODATO, Capitol bureau First published: Friday, June 13, 2003 The union for State Police troopers is advising its members not to stop on highways for non-emergencies -- apparently including routine tickets. In an unprecedented move, the State Troopers PBA President Daniel M. De Federicis is advising members to take steps to minimize the chances of accidents with their Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor vehicles, several of which have had fires after rear-end crashes. 

6.2.2003
Dallas Announces Independent Crash Test and urges other cities to investigate CVPI usage, Sends Personal Plea to William Clay Ford, Jr. to end Police Car Fires.
Dallas City Council announced that the city will conduct its own crash test of fire-safety equipped Ford Crown Victoria Police Cars to determine if they offer enough protection to police officers against deadly fuel tank explosions. The city has also invited Fort Motor Co. to participate in this testing, stressing that the city's goal is to promote cooperation among cities, law enforcement and the automaker in finding a solution to the Crown Victoria police care fuel-fed fires as soon as possible. City of Dallas Press Release

5.29.2003
N.Y. Sen. Wants Crown Victoria Probe
WASHINGTON - The recent death of a Missouri state trooper has prompted a New York senator to call on the federal government to reopen its investigation into Ford Motor Co.'s Crown Victoria, the most popular model police car. Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record) sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (news - web sites) on Wednesday, urging the agency to look into the issue of deadly gas tank explosions on the Crown Victoria. "We know that there's a problem, and now we need to figure out what we need to do to solve it," the New York Democrat said in a statement. "If that means changing cars so that a different model is used, so be it. Time is of the essence." Police unions and some political leaders have complained about the safety record of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. About 350,000 of the vehicles are on the nation's roads as patrol cars for approximately 80 percent of police departments. Since 1983, 14 officers have died in crashes when their Crown Victoria's gas tank caught fire after being hit from behind.

5.29.2003
Chicago Police Urge City to Not Buy CVPI's
The head of Chicago's police union urged the city Thursday to reconsider its decision to buy a fleet of Crown Victoria police cars after a Missouri state trooper's fiery death in one of the cars renewed safety concerns. Mark Donahue, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he believes fuel tanks of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor are vulnerable to exploding when the cars are rear-ended at high speeds.  

5.28.2003
Dallas to buy no more Crown Victorias
The Dallas City Council decided Wednesday not to buy any more Crown Victoria police cruisers, which have come under increasing criticism as being prone to erupt in flames when hit from behind at high speeds. "We did that today informally as a council upon advice of our attorney," Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said. "I go to the U.S. Conference of Mayors on Friday, and I'd like to get a lot more vocal about the fact that we have a major problem that Ford isn't recognizing. Ford needs to do something," Miller said.

5.28.2003
Panel to review police-car safety: Bolton wants advice on avoiding potentially disastrous collisions
Chief Terrell Bolton is looking for ways to make the Ford Crown Victoria squad car safer for his officers. The chief said Tuesday that he has appointed a committee to review whether changes can be made in the positioning of parked squad cars, particularly when on freeways, to reduce the chance of a rear-end collision that could affect the gasoline tank. "I've asked the officers who do the work every day to provide me with some input," Chief Bolton said. More than a dozen law enforcement officers nationwide have died from fuel-fed fires in Crown Victoria rear-end collisions. A Dallas officer was killed last year.

5.18.2003
Explosion Prompts Concern About Police Cars: Crown Victorias Under Scrutiny
DALLAS -- New concerns are emerging from a car accident involving a Dallas police officer. A police cruiser burst into flames Saturday morning after being rear-ended on the westbound lanes of I-30 near the Hampton exit. NBC 5 News' Allison Smith reported on the concerns surrounding Ford Crown Victorias, which Dallas police officers drive. Not much more than a steel, burned-out metal cage was left of the police car that exploded Saturday. The officer had just stepped out of the car to help a motorist in a stalled vehicle when police say a truck slammed into the back of his car, causing the explosion.  

5.05.2003
D.C. Police Cruiser Bursts Into Flames After Crash
WASHINGTON -- D.C. police have many questions following a fiery crash this weekend involving a police cruiser. The crash happened in southeast Washington Saturday afternoon. Investigators said police were responding to a situation at Naylor Road and Southern Avenue when another car hit a parked vehicle and a police car. Nine people were hurt in the crash, including five police officers. The police car, a Ford Crown Victoria, burst into flames as it was pushed up along the side of the road. 

4.15.2003
Disfigured Phoenix police officer testifies before Texas Legislature
AUSTIN, TX -- Jason Schechterle says children get scared, squirm, cry and stare when they see his hideously disfigured face, patched skin and hairless head. Testifying before a Senate committee Monday morning, the 30-year-old Phoenix police officer recalled in a matter-of-fact voice the night in March 2001 that forever altered his life. A taxicab rear-ended his Ford Crown Victoria police car, causing an explosion and fire.

Officer Jason's website

3.17.2003
Police seeking new cruiser
ALBANY -- New York State Police Superintendent James McMahon is shopping around for possible alternatives to the Ford Motor Co.'s Crown Victoria Police Interceptors. While the Interceptor has all but cornered the market nationally on the police patrol car business, the model has come under attack in New York and other parts of the country because of its alleged propensity for fuel system fires when struck from behind at high speeds. A New York state trooper died in such a fire in December when his Interceptor, parked on the shoulder of the state Thruway in Yonkers, was hit from behind by a drunken driver.

	MATT YORK / AP PHOTO
	Jason Schechterle and his wife, Suzie, hold newborn son Masen at their home in Avondale, Ariz., in this December file photo.

3.11.2003
Burned Officer Urges CVPI Change
Albany-- Phoenix officer who was disfigured by fire to speak before state Senate committee
A Phoenix police officer who was severely burned when his Ford Crown Victoria cruiser burst into flames will tell a state Senate committee today what can happen if the automaker isn't pressured into making patrol vehicles safer.

Jason Schechterle, 30, speaks throughout the country on how his life changed on March 26, 2001, when his patrol car was struck from behind by a taxicab. "I want to let them see me and let them hear what happens when you do survive a fuel-fed fire," said the father of three, including a baby born Oct. 29.

3.11.2003
Bolt "Fix" Improperly Installed--New York State Police
State Police are inspecting their fleet of Crown Victoria cars after finding Ford dealerships improperly installed shields designed to prevent them from erupting in flames when rear-ended. State troopers last week found the shields, which are supposed to prevent bolts in the rear axle and suspension from penetrating the gas tank, were not properly installed in 25 percent of the cars belonging to Troop E, based in Rochester.  

3.05.2003
Senator says Ford should pay for CVPI repairs
SACRAMENTO -- An Orange County lawmaker fears that California's law enforcement agencies will end up paying millions of dollars to modify fleets of Crown Victoria patrol cruisers to make them safer - a cost he believes should be borne by Ford Motor Co.  

3.01.2003
Official says Ford flunked own crash test
DALLAS - City Attorney Madeleine Johnson on Friday said that Ford Motor Co. is misleading the public about the safety of its popular law enforcement car, the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. During a press conference at City Hall, Johnson said that Ford officials have not been upfront about gas tank leakage that occurred last summer during one of its crash tests.  

2.20.2003
Disfigured officer sues Ford for negligence
PHOENIX (AP) -- A police officer who was disfigured when his Crown Victoria patrol car burst into flames after a crash sued Ford Motor Co. on Thursday, alleging the company had put an "unreasonably dangerous" car on the market. Officer Jason Schechterle's lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts for his pain, his medical expenses and lost wages. It also seeks punitive damages.

2.20.2003
Crown Vic safety fears expand to car buyers
Deadly police cruiser fires prompt Ford to quietly offer fuel tank repair kits to public
WASHINGTON -- Ford Motor Co.'s attempt to address safety questions with its Crown Victoria police cruiser faces a new complication: It's not just police officers who are having doubts about the safety of the vehicle. Consumers also are growing wary. Police departments and attorneys general across the country have been demanding a recall to fix the Crown Victoria's fuel tank in the wake of a string of deadly fires resulting from high-speed crashes involving the best-selling police cruiser.  

2.20.2003
Officer's parents sue Ford over patrol car death
DALLAS - The parents of a police officer killed when the gas tank of his Crown Victoria patrol car exploded after being struck by a speeding vehicle filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing Ford Motor Co. of negligence, aggravated assault and malice.

Philip and Patricia Metzler of Colorado Springs, Colo., are seeking unspecified damages in the wrongful-death lawsuit that was filed in a state district court. It contends that their son's death could have been prevented if Ford had made safety modifications to prevent the gas tank from exploding in such collisions.  

Testimony Reveals Crown Victoria "Fix" Available to Civilians--at Consumer's expense
Testimony by Kim Goering, Recall and Service Programs Manager for Ford Motor Co., taken in conjunction with class action litigation before a federal court in Cleveland, reveals Ford is making Crown Victoria "upgrade" kits available to civilians, but at their own expense. For more information, contact your local Ford dealer. Following is an excerpt from her testimony:

Q. What I'm understanding you to say is that there is no intent to make these kits available to civilian vehicles free of charge?
Goering: That is correct.
Q. But there is an intent to make them available that civilian owners can purchase them and have them installed on their vehicles at some sort of a normal retail cost?
Goering: Correct. And that's available right now.

2.9.2003
New York Troopers Assn. ask for CVPI fix two months before officer's death
The Division of State Police was far too slow in having these patrol cars retrofitted. In fact, division had assured the PBA in October that retrofitting these vehicles would be a priority. Two months later, however, Trooper Robert Ambrose was killed when a sport utility vehicle crashed into the rear of his non-retrofitted Crown Victoria and it burst into flames.
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2003/02/09/09myview.htm

Illinois Sheriff's Assn. Recommends Moratorium on CVPI
Calls for Ford to Find a Solution and Joins Class Action Suit

In a recently adopted resolution, the Illinois Sheriff's Association sited the number of officers injured and killed when their CVPIs were rear-ended in calling for:

1. A moratorium by police departments in Illinois for the purchase of new Ford CVPIs;
2. Ford to permit and fund independent testing of the proposed shield system and seek alternatives; and
3. The Association to join the Class Action lawsuit against Ford.

1.2.2003
State Police: No Crown Victorias to be used until retrofitting
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Ford Crown Victorias that have not been retrofitted to prevent fires following violent rear-end collisions have been pulled from patrol duty by New York state troopers, officials said Thursday. State Police Superintendent James McMahon said he has told supervisors not to send troopers out in vehicles not retrofitted with fuel tank shields.

CNN Presents: In The Line of Fire