Toyota Motor Corporation

Moises Rendon Held for Bizarre Kidnap Try on 15 y.o. Girl, But What About His Accomplice?

Santa Ana Police have a 28-year-old man in custody for allegedly being the creeper who was wearing gloves and carrying a rag as he ran at an desperately tried to grab a 15-year-old girl walking to Santa Ana Valley High School Wednesday morning.But as Moises Rendon sits in the city jail thanks to his ... More >>

[UPDATED with Toyota Response:] Automaker Settles Sudden Acceleration Lawsuit Brought by Orange County DA for $16 Million

See the update at the end of this post with Toyota's statement on the settlement.ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 5, 4:19 P.M.: Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas today announced Toyota Motor Corp. has settled a $16 million lawsuit with his office over sudden acceleration claims. The case, based on ... More >>

Adam Harrison Hall, Twice Convicted of DUI and Accused of Blazing on Meds in Fatal Crash, Faces Murder Count; Is That Right?

Trial began last week for a 29-year-old Placentia man facing a murder count for allegedly raging on methamphetamine, Diazepam, Nordiazepam, Alprazolam, Hydroxyalprazolam, Oxazepam, Temazepam, amphetamine, Morphine, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahyrocannabinol (THCA) before causing a car crash ... More >>

Orange County Deputies Seek Approval of $1.1 Million Undercover Vehicle Rental Deal

Boss at the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) want to extend a 2010 undercover vehicle rental contract worth more than $1.1 million annually through February 2014 without additional competitive bidding.County supervisors will consider the request at their Jan. 29 public hearing in Santa Ana ... More >>

Toyota, Plaintiffs Willing to Settle Sudden-Acceleration Lawsuit in Santa Ana for $1.1 bil

Toyota will pony up $1.1 billion to make sudden-acceleration lawsuits go away, according to a proposal filed in federal court in Santa Ana today. As part of the largest settlement in U.S. history involving automobile defects, Toyota would send cash to eligible customers who sold or turned in their l ... More >>

Judge Issues Tentative Sanction Against Toyota in Sudden-Acceleration Trial

The federal judge in Santa Ana assigned to Toyota's nationwide sudden-acceleration trial issued a tentative sanction against the automaker for an inspection of a crashed 2008 Toyota Camry. Judge James V. Selna writes that the inspection casts "a cloud of suspicion" over Toyota Motor Sales USA's beh ... More >>

[UPDATED with Pre-Trial Bickering:] Federal Judge in Santa Ana Sets Trial For First of Hundreds of Lawsuits Against Toyota

​UPDATE, SEPT. 9, 2:10 P.M: Earlier this week, Toyota and the lawyers representing the people suing Toyota in several unexpected-acceleration cases, presented court papers showing their disagreements on specifics of the trial. The two parties disagree on how many of the then Toyota-drive ... More >>

[UPDATED with Pre-Trial Bickering:] Federal Judge in Santa Ana Sets Trial For First of Hundreds of Lawsuits Against Toyota

​UPDATE, SEPT. 9, 2:10 P.M: Earlier this week, Toyota and the lawyers representing the people suing Toyota in several unexpected-acceleration cases, presented court papers showing their disagreements on specifics of the trial. The two parties disagree on how many of the then Toyota-drive ... More >>

This Year's 'Bed Intruder': Pastor Joe Nelm's Autotuned Nascar Prayer

​We're sure you've heard about Joe Nelms' hilarious pre-race prayer at the Nashville Superspeedway last week, where he not only asked the Lord to bless the Fords and the Toyotas, but also his "smokin' hot wife" before the race, right before he ended with "Boogity boogity bloogity." (Amen!) Now i ... More >>

[UPDATED with Stiffer Sentence:] Ex-Deputy Allan James Waters Guilty of Causing Crashes While Hopped Up on Pills

​UPDATE, JULY 1, 1:18 P.M.: After his first sentencing hearing was postponed because Allan James Waters showed up to court drunk, the former Orange County sheriff's deputy finally learned his fate today: two years and eight months in state prison.The 37-year-old Laguna Niguel resident had bee ... More >>

Federal Judge in Santa Ana Sets Trial For First of Hundreds of Lawsuits Against Toyota In February 2013

​A Santa Ana-based federal judge has picked the bellwether case in the slew of freak-acceleration lawsuits lodged against Toyota. The trial, which will undoubtedly influence the litigation of the other cases, is set to start on Feb. 19, 2013, according to a timetable housed on the court' ... More >>

Mara Lynnes Steves, OC Homicide No. 19: Struck and Killed by Drugged-Up Driver Moments After Saving Dog

​Sometimes bad things happen to really good people. The story of Mara Lynnes Steves is just such a circumstance. On a Sunday afternoon in mid-February, Steves had just saved a dog from oncoming traffic when an auto accident occurred in the same intersection. The driver who had run the red light, c ... More >>

[UPDATED] Braking News! Government Report Clears Toyota Software as Cause of Sudden-Acceleration Problems

​UPDATE, FEB. 24, 12:47 P.M.: In my mailbox yesterday was a recall notice from Toyota for my wife's Highlander.Today I learned she is not alone: Having already recalled nearly 8 million of its models in the U.S., Toyota announced it is calling back another 2.17 million to correct brake and acceler ... More >>

$73 Million Concert Hall Coming to South Orange County

RMA Photography​South Orange County is getting its own concert hall.Construction is complete on a $73 million performing-arts center at Soka University, a majestic college campus in Aliso Viejo. The space, anchored by a 1,034-seat auditorium, will be used for dance and orchestra productions, plays ... More >>

Toyota's Record $32.4 Million Fine Settles Federal Probes But Not Suits Brought by OCDA and Others

​Toyota's agreement to pay a record $32.4 million to settle U.S. Department of Transportation investigations into the giant automaker's handling of two recalls does nothing to resolve civil lawsuits brought by the Orange County District Attorney's Office and the families of those killed or injured ... More >>

Toyota Lawsuits Can Move Forward, Judge Tentatively Rules in Santa Ana Court

​A federal judge has tentatively (double-negative alert) refused to dismiss dozens of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against Toyota Motor Corp., despite the automaker's motion. U.S. District Judge James V. Selna issued the order last Wednesday, and then heard arguments from Toyo ... More >>

Toyota Denies Report It Secretly Bought Back Cars That Accelerated Unintentionally

​Toyota has issued a statement denying the automaker was able to duplicate customer complaints about sudden acceleration and that it secretly repurchased problem vehicles from owners without notifying the government.Torrance-based Toyota USA blames attorneys for people suing Toyota for spreading t ... More >>

2010 OC Auto Show is Electrifying

​As with past OC Auto Shows, the 2010 version allows visitors to check out the newest GMCs, Fords, Buicks, Chevys and Toyotas without being hassled by pushy salesmen.Those who enter the Anaheim Convention Center Thursday through Sunday can also be among the first people in the nation to drive the ... More >>

Taco Bell Crime of the Week: Arrested for Snorting Percocet in a Parking Lot!

​What the hell is Percocet, anyway? The details after the jump!

Santa Ana is Ground Zero for Toyota Legal War

​Santa Ana will be ground zero for sudden-acceleration lawsuits against Toyota Motor Corp. after a panel of judges last week consolidated the cases to the federal court there. The world's largest automaker faces at least 177 consumer and shareholder lawsuits seeking class-action status and at le ... More >>

Allan James Waters, Deputy Arrested for Being Drugged-Up in Crash That Hurt Elderly Lady AND Selling Fake Cocaine for Prescription Pills

​We told you in March about Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Allan James Waters, who was off-duty and allegedly drugged-up when he crashed his Mercedes into a Toyota in Laguna Niguel, injuring a 78-year-old woman--just a half hour after Waters plowed into a Lexus outside Dana Point City Hall.In ann ... More >>

Toyota's Record Fine From the Feds Does Not Let Automaker Off the Hook in OC

​Toyota agreeing today to pay a $16.4 million fine imposed by the Transportation Department does not change anything as far as a lawsuit filed against the world's largest automaker by the Orange County District Attorney's Office goes.

[UPDATED:] DA Sues Toyota

UPDATE: The Orange County District Attorney's Office this morning stepped up pressure on Toyota, unveiling a consumer complaint hotline, an online complaint form and access to its first civil complaint against the automaker (details after the jump) . . . Courtesy of Elizabeth JamesThis is where Eliz ... More >>

[UPDATED:] Remember Our Cover Story About Toyota Prius?

UPDATE: The U.S. Transportation Department has opened an investigation into brake problems in 2010 Toyota Prius, according to the Washinton Post. Photo by Daniel KramerAs the Weekly reported last year, Bobette Riner had her Prius a couple months before it took off and died, leaving her stranded on t ... More >>

Crime Time: Is Tobias Fünke the "Blue Note Bandit"?

It's the Weekly's weekly crime round-up--now with more blatant Arrested Development imagery.Could Tobias Fünke be the "Blue Note Bandit" (Wednesday) or the man making "blown" offers (Thursday)?​TUESDAY, DEC. 1Nice Racks! After pulling over a silver 2004 Acura TL four-door at Newport Boulevard and ... More >>

Chapman 5K Walk/Run

Chapman University

Do You Drive One of the 10 Most Stolen Cars in California?

Feast your eyes on the hottest car in California, Speed Racer: the 1991 Honda Accord. ​Forget your Ferrarris, Lamborghinis, heck, even your grandparents' Buicks. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) Hot Wheels 2009 report, which crunched data reported to the National Crime Infor ... More >>

TONIGHT: Aquabats, TSOL at OC Tavern

​Well, how about this? A free local show tonight from two of the most prominent veteran Orange County bands. Life could be worse.It's the "Surfercross After Party," from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the OC Tavern in San Clemente, and featuring performances from the Aquabats (pictured, but you already knew ... More >>

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

Prius Drivers Have Discovered the Hybrid Car Can Take Them On an Unexpected Adventure

Long Beach Grand Prix

Long Beach Convention Center

An OC-Based Car Empire Breaks Down

madaise / Flickr / Creative CommonsThe Capistrano Insider caught a story in Automotive News about Newport Beach's Mike Kahn, who, until recently, ran one of the fastest-growing car dealership chains in America. Or at least, that's how Automotive News ranked his company in 2007. Come 2009, though,&nb ... More >>

[CD Review] Various Artists, 'Free Yr Radio' (insound.com)

[Summer Guide] Biking It: A Field Guide to the Two-Wheeled Pedal-Pusher

Not-so-americana

An Introduction to Japanese Sake

Wednesday's Headlines & Surprises: Bootlicker on Tasers

Welcome to the Real IC: We should change the name of this place to Irony County. Latest reason? Peggy Lowe, a sleuth at the Register, reports today that during the very same meeting that the Orange County Board of Supervisors talked about slicing into generous pensions for sheriff’s deputies they ... More >>

Hey, You!

No Joto, Mr. Moto!

OC Drivers on the Pipe

According to the for-profit Orange County Automobile Dealers Association, the top new retail car and truck registrations this year through May: Toyota: 29.3% GM: 12% Honda: 11.5% Ford: 9.7% DaimlerChrysler: 6.3% Nissan: 5.6% According to the nonprofit Environmental Defense, the percentage of ... More >>

Baby, You Can Still Drive My Electric Car

As gas prices soar and Americans lose their taste for foreign oil, OC's biggest EV booster sounds like a prophet

Letters

"Dogs Dont Lie . . . People Do."

!Ask a Mexican!

Why do Mexicans steal fruit?

Diary of a Mad County

A Clockwork Orange

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

Where Dank Lives

ASRs little bro, Agenda, does just fine hawking board-sports gear in a chilly warehouse

Son of a . . .

Toyotas new Scion proves the more things change, the more they stay the same

Guilty Pleasures

1401-1566

Your Name Here!

In which our Heroine sells her Soul for a crust of Bread

July-September