Lee was driving his Camry when it accelerated before crashing into another car and killing 3.
What might be new evidence that could ultimately set free Koua Fong Lee, a Minnesota man sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in a 2006 crash involving a runaway Toyota, will be presented to the Ramsey County assistant prosecutor on Monday.
In June 2006, Lee was driving his Toyota Camry when it accelerated before crashing into another car and killing Javis Adams, 33, his son Javis Adams Jr., 10, and his niece Devyn Bolton, 7.
Mr. Lee was convicted of criminal vehicular homicide in October 2007 and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Attorney Robert Hilliard from the Corpus Christi, Texas-based law firm of Hilliard Muńoz Guerra LLP has been retained by Lee, apparently for his experience in Toyota cases across the country. Hilliard also represents Quincy Adams, whose son and grandson were killed in the crash; as well as Bridgette Trice, whose daughter was killed.
Mr. Lee and his attorneys are seeking to have his case reexamined. Hilliard and other attorneys are meeting with Ramsey County assistant prosecutor Phil Carruthers to discuss the case and present evidence from their investigations.
“There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Mr. Lee did everything he could to stop the car, and our hope is that the evidence we’ve collected will help set him free,” says Hilliard.
Lee’s 1996 Toyota Camry was subject to a limited recall based on a cruise-control problem that caused the cars to accelerate unintentionally.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received at least 15 reports of sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles from that model year. More than 2,000 complaints of sudden, unintended acceleration have been reported to Toyota or government agencies regarding various Toyota models.
Hilliard currently is handling several cases involving people hurt or killed by Toyota models, including a federal class-action lawsuit on behalf of all Texas residents who have purchased Toyota and Lexus vehicles with faulty electronic throttle control systems.