Toyota grants NY police request to send help in Prius crash probe; engineer coming Wednesday

Toyota engineer to assist probe of NY Prius crash

HARRISON, N.Y. — Police say Toyota is sending an engineer to help investigate a suburban New York accident in which the driver said her Prius accelerated on its own and slammed into a stone wall.

Harrison police Capt. Anthony Marraccini says the Toyota engineer is expected Wednesday.

Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles to address gas pedal problems. The driver in Monday’s accident says she did not know whether the gas pedal got stuck.

Marraccini had requested Toyota’s help in decoding the vehicle’s electronic data recorder. He said Friday that Toyota responded that an engineer would answer questions about the readout process.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also sending an inspector to see the vehicle.