Woman Blames “Wild” Market Basket Crash on Vehicle Malfunction

After causing a major collision outside a Market Basket location, a New Hampshire woman says that her vehicle malfunctioned moments before. The crash impacted numerous vehicles and injured several people. Authorities say that the driver had reached a high rate of speed before the collision. Does her story hold up to scrutiny? Can vehicles really malfunction in this way? What if your auto injuries in New Hampshire were caused by some kind of vehicle defect or malfunction?

Vehicle “Accelerated Out of Control” Before Crash, Claims Driver

In May of 2025, a woman lost control of her vehicle in the parking lot of a Market Basket location in New Hampshire before colliding with several vehicles. The collision caused two hospitalizations and severe damage to the affected cars. Fortunately, the injured victims are expected to make full recoveries.

One witness stated that the driver was “going at least 40 mph” at the time of the crash. He also said that he saw the vehicle become airborne during the collision. One of the vehicles she crashed into contained a child, who was miraculously unharmed.

The woman insisted she had no control over her vehicle at the time of the crash, stating:

“I tried to control the car and the car just went whatever, drove itself. It’s an electric car. The brake didn’t work at all. My worry was that I was going to injure someone because I had no control over the car.”

She also maintained that there was no way she could have confused the gas pedal for the brake – a common mistake in parking lots. There was no word on whether she attempted to engage the parking brake or put her vehicle into park in order to slow it down.

Toyotas Have Had Issues With “Uncontrolled Acceleration” in the Past

It is worth noting that the woman was driving a Toyota, and this brand has had issues with uncontrolled acceleration in the past. In 2009, the Japanese manufacturer admitted that several of its models had exhibited issues with “sticky accelerator pedals.” Some models had their gas pedals stuck due to obstructions caused by floor mats. This affected a wide range of vehicles spanning from 2007 to 2010.

WMUR 9 reported that the woman was driving a Highlander, and this model is one of many associated with sticky accelerator pedals. Some reporters reached out to Toyota for a comment on this incident, but they didn’t hear back.

Can a New Hampshire Auto Accident Lawyer Help Me?

A New Hampshire auto accident lawyer may be able to help if you suffered injuries due to a vehicle malfunction. If you’re certain that your vehicle malfunctioned before your crash, you might be able to file a product liability claim. If you were injured by someone else’s malfunctioning vehicle, you can probably file a normal injury claim. To review your options, contact Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC.

Sources:

wmur.com/article/manchester-new-hampshire-market-basket-crash-56/64688601