On Monday, September 20, 2010, California Superior Court Judge Anthony Mohr ordered settlement information sealed in the case involving a Lexus ES 350 that accelerated out of control, killing its four occupants. The judge cited his desire to protect the Plaintiffs from harassment by shielding the value of the settlement from those who may be looking to prey on their financial windfall. The products liability suit, brought by relatives of the four deceased individuals, sought compensation from Toyota for the tragic deaths of Mark Saylor, his wife Cleofe, their 13-year-old daughter Mahala and Saylor’s brother-in-law, Christopher Lastrella.
Interestingly, the settlement left out the dealership that loaned the car to Mr. Saylor, Bob Baker Lexus, leaving them open to future legal action. With this uncommon move, Toyota is clearly setting the stage for an impending showdown between itself and its dealerships over who will ultimately bear the blame for sudden acceleration.
