plus 3, Toyota mulls fixes for more vehicles amid pickup recall - Detroit Free Press

Toyota mulls fixes for more vehicles amid pickup recall - Detroit Free Press
Congressional hearings won't be pleasant, Lutz advises Toyota - Detroit Free Press
Police suspect foul play in death - Tulsa World
Sutton arrested on drug complaints - Tulsa World

Toyota mulls fixes for more vehicles amid pickup recall - Detroit Free Press

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 12:31 AM PST

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Toyota said Friday it will consider upgrading more of its older vehicles with software designed to override the accelerator pedal if the brake is pushed and will also review complaints of sudden acceleration in its Tacoma pickups.

The news came as Toyota announced yet another recall, this time for drive shafts in 8,000 Tacoma pickups.

The pledges from the Japanese automaker came in response to questions from the U.S. House Oversight committee, which is scheduled to hold the first congressional hearing on the automaker's recent recalls on Feb. 24.

Toyota has been under fire after issuing four recalls and expanding a fifth over a few weeks, topping 8 million vehicles worldwide.

Meanwhile Friday, Toyota dealers in metro Detroit began offering an additional $250 to $500 in rebates to keep current customers and pare swollen inventories as the automaker continues repairing about 50,000 gas pedals nationwide every day.

So-called customer loyalty rebates on 2010 Corolla and Camry models increased to $1,750, effective Friday, said Mike LaFontaine, owner of LaFontaine Toyota in Dearborn.

Toyota spokesman John Hanson on Friday described the higher rebates as "business as usual at the discretion of the regions." Hanson said he wasn't aware of any new national incentive program, which several dealers told the Free Press is in the offing.

Toyota also is reimbursing expenses incurred by dealers who are soothing Toyota owners in the wake of three recalls covering nearly 6 million Toyota vehicles, dealers said.

"They're doing the right thing," said Tony Pordon, senior vice president of Bloomfield Hills-based Penske Automotive Group, which owns 17 Toyota dealerships.

In other Toyota news:

• Inventories of certain recalled models more than doubled from the end of December to the end of January, according to Ward's Automotive Reports. Ward's found that Toyota dealers had an average of 100 days' supply of the Camry sedan as of Jan. 31, up from 40 days a month earlier.

• CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore., found in a Thursday survey: Among consumers who had intended to buy a Toyota in early January, only 7% now say they won't buy a Toyota. That is down from 18% immediately after the Jan. 26 decision to halt sales.

Contact MARK PHELAN: phelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731.

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Congressional hearings won't be pleasant, Lutz advises Toyota - Detroit Free Press

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 12:31 AM PST

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ORLANDO -- General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz had one piece of advice for Toyota executives who are being called before Congress over the Japanese automaker's recalls tied to unintended acceleration.

"Be prepared for an unpleasant experience," he said Friday on the sidelines of the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Automotive Roundtable.

The forum is being held in advance of the National Automobile Dealers Association annual convention.

Lutz, who spoke at the roundtable, tried to avoid talking about competitor Toyota.

"We've been carefully briefed to stay away from any pronouncements about our No. 1 Japanese competitor. Sorry about that. See me privately," he said to the crowd, which erupted in laughter.

Instead, Lutz focused his speech on GM's improved position. A year ago, the Detroit automaker was struggling to stay afloat on government assistance. GM eventually went through government-backed bankruptcy reorganization.

Lutz highlighted the improved vehicles GM is making and the high consumer demand for recently launched GM vehicles, such as the Chevrolet Equinox crossover. Lutz told the Free Press in an interview that he doesn't want people to think GM's new success has anything to do with Toyota's woes.

"The huge rise in purchase intent for all of our new stuff really started in September," he said. "One of my worries is that people are going to say, 'Hey look how well GM is doing -- this couldn't have happened without the Toyota (recalls).' That demeans our accomplishments."

During a question-and-answer session, Lutz also surprisingly suggested that golfer Tiger Woods did not help Buick sell any vehicles when he starred in its commercials.

Buick's relationship with Woods, who was the face of the brand for nine years, ended in 2008, prior to Woods' recent troubles. Woods has been in the news after he crashed his Cadillac at his Orlando home last November and his marital problems came to light. At the time the relationship between Woods and GM ended, the automaker said the move was part of an effort by GM to save money and by Woods to have more personal time.

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Police suspect foul play in death - Tulsa World

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 12:31 AM PST

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EUFAULA, Okla. (AP) — The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says foul play is suspected in the death of a Eufaula woman whose body was found along U.S. 69.

Lt. George Brown said the body of 48-year-old Dana Rogers was found about 11:30 p.m. Thursday. Investigators initially thought she was a victim of an auto-pedestrian hit-and-run, he said.

Brown said troopers now are considering the case as a possible homicide and that the woman was killed elsewhere and the body staged to look like a hit-and-run.

He did not say what led investigators to change their initial assessment.

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Sutton arrested on drug complaints - Tulsa World

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 12:24 AM PST

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STILLWATER — Former Oklahoma State basketball head coach Sean Sutton obtained prescription drugs from two women he met in a drug rehabilitation center, according to a law enforcement affidavit.

Payne County District Attorney Robert Hudson said that he anticipates filing charges against Sutton on Tuesday for obtaining a controlled dangerous substance by fraud, possession of Oxycontin, attempted possession of Adderral and Clonazepam, and use of a communication device — a cell phone — to commit a felony.

As first reported Friday on TulsaWorld.com, Sutton was arrested Thursday following an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous

Drugs. He was released on a $10,000 bond about 3:30 p.m. Friday on the condition that he go to a treatment center, Hudson said.

An arraignment has been set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"It's unfortunate," Hudson said. "We know it's going to be a blow to our community, OSU and all the friends of the Sutton family, but the criminal justice system has to treat him like everyone else. Justice should be blind."

Hudson said he hoped Sutton would get the help he needs.

Sutton was in the Stillwater city jail Friday morning suffering withdrawal symptoms from pain killers, officials said.

"He's sick," Assistant District Attorney Tom Lee said.

Sutton's attorney, Trace Morgan, declined comment as he was leaving the courthouse after meeting with prosecutors Friday afternoon.

Hudson said Sutton does not have any prior criminal charges.

Sutton allegedly breached a stay-clean arrangement he reached with the narcotics agency last year.

Bureau spokesman Mark Woodward said that in the fall of 2009, Sutton told agents he was addicted to prescription drugs and agreed to go to treatment.

"We did confirm that (Sutton) was going to multiple doctors and unlawfully obtaining painkillers. We confronted him, and he admitted to it," Woodward said.

After Sutton completed his treatment, he was supposed to stay in touch with drug agents, but they lost contact with him during the last few weeks of January, Woodward said.

He said the bureau began receiving information that Sutton was ordering drugs from Washington and New York states.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Payne County District Court on Friday, drug agent Brian Surber said he retrieved a Federal Express package addressed to Sutton from Michelle Keller of Seattle.

The package contained a total of 40 tablets of three drugs, including a sleep aid, Adderral and Clonazepam. The pills were in a prescription bottle under someone else's name.

Adderall, an amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, is used to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the Web site drugs.com.

Clonazepam is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. It is prescribed to control seizures and panic disorders and is in the same drug family as Valium, Xanax and Ativan.

Surber states in the affidavit that he replaced the pills with candy, sealed the box and allowed Sutton to pick up the package.

It appeared Sutton opened the box and put it in the back of his sport-utility vehicle, Surber's affidavit states. Sutton was then stopped on Airport Road by Stillwater Police Sgt. Paul Bostick.

Sutton admitted he obtained the drugs illegally, according to the Surber affidavit.

He told authorities he had been obtaining medications from Keller for nearly a year after meeting her at an inpatient rehabilitation program. He said he also obtained medications from Eliyuha Weintraub of New York, whom he also met in rehab, the document states.

He claimed Keller sent him Clonazepam and the sleep aid to help him sleep and the Adderral to help him quit drugs. Sutton said he sent Keller and Weintraub cash several times through Federal Express and wire transfers.

Other evidence in the case will include text messages between Sutton and Keller in which they allegedly discuss the drug shipment, the affidavit states.

When reached by phone Friday at her home, Keller said she did not think she was doing anything illegal. "I was just trying to help him out," she said.

Keller was unaware of Sutton's arrest Friday, and it was unclear whether authorities had contacted her about her involvement.

According to Surber's affidavit, Sutton was "profusely sweating" when the two met at the Stillwater jail early Friday.

"Sutton told me he was feeling symptoms of withdrawal and was going to 'tough it out.' I told Sutton to contact the detention officers if he felt ill," Surber states in the affidavit.

Surber later found out that Sutton had been vomiting and having other withdrawal symptoms. Jailers were concerned about his health, Surber said.

Woodward said that Washington and New York authorities are assisting in the investigation.

Sutton "may face an additional charge or charges of obtaining (drugs) by fraud dating back to those August multiple visits to doctors and failing to disclose to those doctors that he was seeing other physicians," Woodward said.

From 1990-92, Sutton was a point guard on OSU teams coached by his father, Eddie Sutton. For 13 seasons, the younger Sutton served as an assistant on Eddie Sutton's staff.

Sean Sutton was promoted to the head-coaching position in May 2006. After two seasons, during which the Cowboys were 39-29 with two National Invitation Tournament first-round defeats, Sutton and OSU athletic director Mike Holder agreed that Sutton would resign.

With three years remaining on his contract, Sutton collected a net settlement of $1,359,673.58 from OSU. He lives in Stillwater with his wife and two sons.

In 2006, Eddie Sutton was involved in an auto accident in Stillwater. Payne County court documents revealed that at the time of the accident, his blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit. Eddie Sutton pleaded no contest to aggravated drunken driving, driving left of center and speeding. He was placed on probation for one year, and the incident led to his retirement from the head-coaching position.

The news of Sean Sutton's arrest came as a shock to OSU students.

"If it had been alcohol, I wouldn't have been awestruck. But drugs? That's kind of weird," said sophomore Lucas Dewell.

World staff writer Jarrel Wade contributed to this story.

Susan Hylton 581-8381, Bill Haisten 581-8397
susan.hylton@tulsaworld.com, bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com

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