Three killed in new case of Toyota flip-flop-related acceleration

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Three elderly women were killed this morning in Albany, New York, when a 55-year-old woman driving a Toyota Highlander drove into a group of people standing on the sidewalk. Unintended acceleration? Not so much. Her flip-flop was caught under the gas pedal. Another sad case illustrating the real cause of unintended acceleration — beige cars being driven by people of an advanced age.

The accident happened around 8:30 a.m. when 55-year-old Luanne Burgess lost control of her Toyota SUV off Route 85A, driving into a group of adults that were part of a walking group. Three members of the walking group were killed and declared dead on the scene.

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Police say Burgess had just dropped her 6-year-old foster child off at daycare and her foot or flip-flop she was wearing became stuck on the gas pedal, accelerating the car.

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The driver's injuries aren't life-threatening.

Acting Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple called this accident "one of the most horrific accident scenes he has ever seen."

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Hot tip to Vovchandr!