The media is back at it, blaming Ford for a "flawed" Crown Vic Police Car that burst into flames injuring a policeman.
Patrol officer Ross Linert, 48, a 12-year veteran of the force, was in the Akron Children's Hospital burn unit in critical condition Monday after his 2005 Crown Victoria Interceptor was hit at high speed at 1:08 a.m. on North Meridian Road."The gas tank exploded," Gavalier said Monday. "A wall of flame went right through from the rear to the front of the car."
Linert, who managed to get out of the car himself, suffered burns over 30 percent to 40 percent of his body. He's in an induced coma at the hospital, a township police report said.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the police officer and his family.
But the media is more interested in Ford's horrible vehicle then the officier or family
The Crown Victoria, which Ford no longer sells to the public, has come under much scrutiny because its gas tank is behind the rear axle and in the car's "crush zone." The Internet is rife with reported cases of fires after Crown Vics were hit from behind.At least 30 officers have burned to death after their Crown Vics were rear-ended and hundreds more civilians have died in Crown Vics, Lincoln Town Cars and Grand Marquis, says the Center for Auto Safety, based in Washington, D.C.
Yes, they no longer sell the Crown Vic to the public, but does the media explain why? Of course not, Ford no longer sells the Crown Vic to the public because of it's very poor public sales and the Grand Marquis is the same exact vehicle with more chrome, which is very popular.
At least the police chief isn't buying to the media's attempt at blaming Ford.
The township's police chief says he's doubtful a much-criticized design feature in Ford Crown Victoria Interceptors played a role in the fire that injured a township patrol officer in a Sunday morning crash.Gavalier said he believes the sheer force of the crash contributed to the gas tank explosion in Sunday's accident.
He said that Ford makes a Kevlar shield for the Crown Vic gas tanks, but that even with such a shield in Linert's cruiser, "I think the same thing would have happened."
The rear of the car was pushed almost into the back seat, he pointed out. The car's back end is completely crushed.
The speed of the drunk driver that hit the police car must have been high to crush the trunk of the vehicle into the back seat of the police car.
Will the media ever get off the "flawed" design causing explosions and realize that almost any vehicle hit at a high rate of speed with a gas tank in the rear will probably explode.
At least the police chief is trying to head off that kind of thinking! Like you said, almost any vehicle in that situation would react similarly.
My friend loved his Crown Vic patrol units! I was given to understand that the Crown Vic's not in production anymore at ALL, is that wrong?
Now the guys have to drive front wheel drive things unless they opt for SUVs... :(
Posted by: pam at November 13, 2007 09:24 AM