You Can Kill Your Wife - As Long As You Do It In A Prius

On September 19, 2008, William Hippsley, 74, was behind the wheel in the parking lot of a shopping center in Brigg, South Humberside, UK. Outside, his wife Brenda, 69, helped him park his car. Suddenly, Hippsley’s car shot forward, dragged his wife 130ft across the parking lot – and killed her.

The car was a Toyota Prius.

Three months after the incident, Hippsley said in a police interview that the car had lunged forward and that the brake had failed. “But by that time Hippsley, of Searby, Lincs, had heard reports of Prius acceleration problems in the US,” noted the SUN.

Checks on the car by police and Toyota could find no defects. Now finally, Hippsley had his two days in court. Prosecutor Simon Waley blamed an “error committed in panic”. He called the acceleration claim “a measure of psychological self-protection”.

After hearing the case, Judge David Tremberg discharged the jurors from their duties. According to the Scunthorpe Telegraph, the judge told the jury: “The prosecution say this defendant was involved in this tragic accident as a result of his own fault – his own negligence. The defence say this was a case of sudden unintentional acceleration, a concept they say is known to exist.”

Judge Tremberg instructed the jury: “There is a House of Representatives committee in America dealing with this very issue now. We are being drip fed further critical information from America at every adjournment. There is a real danger that you might not be equipped with what you need to deliver a fair verdict.”

The Jury was sent home. Hippsley was released on unconditional bail. The trial is on hold, pending further reports and inspections of Hippsley’s vehicle.

The trial will return to court in six to eight weeks, says the Mirror.