Ford blamed for WAILUKU >> The family of a Maui police officer killed in the line of duty has filed a lawsuit against Ford Motor Co., alleging a defective fuel system contributed to his fiery death.
Maui officer’s death
The lawsuit alleges that a
defective fuel system helped
cause the fire that killed himBy Gary Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com"Our basic investigation reveals that Mr. Williams would be alive today if the fuel system was not defective, and we believe it was defective," attorney Steven Noufer said.
Patrol officer Gene V. Williams, 38, was directing traffic at a construction site near Kaanapali at 3 a.m. Aug. 9, 1999, when a truck plowed into the rear of a 1983 Ford Thunderbird.
The lawsuit said Williams, who died from his burns, was pinned under the Thunderbird, as a fire erupted and engulfed the vehicle.
Kenneth Fukunaga, an attorney representing Ford, said he had not seen the lawsuit filed Friday in Maui Circuit Court and declined to comment.
Truck driver Ricardo Rodriguez-Pantoja and the driver of the Thunderbird escaped without serious injury.
Rodriguez-Pantoja is serving a 10-year prison sentence after pleading no contest last year to first-degree negligent homicide.
Police investigators said the truck was traveling at least 80 miles an hour in a 25-mph zone, when it rear-ended the Thunderbird.
Ford Thunderbirds made in 1983 have been the subject of two recalls related to the fuel system, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. More than 2,670 Ford Thunderbirds made in January 1983 were recalled after a determination was made that they may have been built with fuel tanks that have inadequately welded front seams that can leak.
An estimated 250 Ford Thunderbirds made from February through March, 1983 were recalled because fuels leaks could develop in either of the two connections in a fuel supply line.
"If either of these connections separate or leak, fuel spillage could result, and in the presence of an ignition source, could result in fire," according to federal NHSTA.
Kent Emison, co-counsel representing the Williams family, said attorneys are looking into the recall aspect of Ford Thunderbird models.
"But regardless of whether this particular Thunderbird was the subject of a recall, our investigation has shown clearly that if there had been no fire that Mr. Williams would have survived," Emison said.
"We further believe that the fuel system on the Thunderbird is defective and unreasonably dangerous for allowing such a large amount of fuel to escape from the fuel system and cause the fire."
Emison said the vehicle has been inspected by an engineer and huge holes were found in the fuel tank.
He said the fuel tank for 1983 Thunderbirds was located near the rear of the vehicle and that in later years, the location of the fuel tank was changed so that it was farther from the rear.
Attorneys for Ford and the Williams family hope to ship the wreckage of the car to Chicago, where engineers may conduct a detailed inspection of the vehicle.
Also named as defendants in the lawsuit were Rodriguez-Pantoja, Cheeseburger In Paradise and Maui Brews. The lawsuit alleges the two businesses sold alcohol to Rodriguez-Pantoja and contributed to the crash. No one from either business was available for comment.
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Williams' wife Dee Kaleo-Williams and her two sons.