Stacy94PGT

Ford sued over fatal house fire

FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES

WESTGATE, Iowa -- Lawyers for the family of an Iowa woman killed in a house fire last month have sued Ford Motor Co., claiming a problem with the family's garaged F-150 pickup caused the blaze.

The suit was filed Wednesday in Houston on behalf of the family of Darletta Mohlis, 74, of Westgate, who died in the fire on May 2. Her husband, Earl Mohlis, was injured.

The lawsuit didn't specify what damages the family seeks.

Lawyers for the family said an investigation showed the fire started in the pickup's cruise control deactivation switch and spread through the family's garage into their home.

Ford spokeswoman Kathleen Vokes said Thursday that an inspection at the Mohlis' house "demonstrates conclusively that the fire did not originate from the 1996 Ford F-150 and specifically not from its speed control deactivation switch."

She said evidence suggests the fire started elsewhere in the garage, spreading to the truck and the home.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating more than 3.7 million Ford pickups and sport-utility vehicles because of a defect in the cruise control switch. The probe includes Ford F-150 pickups from the 1995-99 and 2001-02 model years, and Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators from the 1997-99 and 2001-02 model years.

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Stacy94PGT
My first car was a 67 Mustang Coupe, 2nd one was a 67 Cougar XR-7, 3rd one was a 66 Mustang Coupe. Why did I get rid of these cars for ? I know why, because I'm stupid, stupid, stupid.

My next Ford.....