I had completely stopped my vehicle in a parking area at a condominium complex where I was delivering a meal to my nephew who resides there. Because I had just recently learned that someone from my community was dying from an encephalitis-infected mosquito and I am very prone to mosquito bites, I decided to re-start my car and back into the open parking space directly in front of the condo unit, a distance of about 40 feet from my original stop. I proceeded to back up very slowly and very carefully into the parking space in front of the condominium unit. When I applied the brake to stop, the vehicle failed to stop and instead, in what seemed like a flash, rocketed backward, a distance of about 40 feet into the side of the condominum. The vehicle was traveling so fast that it missed the shrubbery in front of the building and struck the window above it, crashing into the building. At the time, I was an experienced driver with a perfect driving record of over 30 years. There is no question in my mind that I applied the brake, but it failed to stop the vehicle. Based on my recollection and on my driving experience, I am certain that there was no way that I had stepped on the accelerator by accident. On the contrary, I believe this was an instance of sudden unintended acceleration. I suffered whip lash but was treated and released in the hospital emergency room. My vehicle was totaled, however. To this day, I still have nightmares of the horrible feeling when the car that I had loved so much rocketed backward and I felt totally helpless and trapped inside. Having not previously heard of sudden unintended acceleration, I was initially in shock and at a total loss to explain what had happened. I only knew that I had stepped on the brake, but the car continued in its backward path and, in a flash, rocketed backward.

- Raynham, MA, USA