Four-car accident blamed on Toyota gas pedal

St. Petersburg, Florida -- While Toyota is dealing with one of its most pressing safety issues ever -- a sticky gas pedal -- millions of drivers are concerned for their own safety.

An investigator from St. Petersburg's police department spent much of the day checking out the Toyota Camry involved in a four-car crash.

The accident happened just before 9 o'clock Monday night at the intersection of Central Avenue and 34th Street. A witness said the driver of the Camry told him she couldn't stop the car. 

"The people in the Camry said they had gone yesterday to have the car inspected, and it just would not stop today," said Paul Jackson.

The driver of the Camry told an officer at the scene the accelerator got stuck, causing her to accelerate out of control and into the back of another car.

While she feels the accident could be connected to the recent Toyota recall, investigators believe home-made floor mats are what caused the gas pedal to stick.

"What I saw was a desk mat that anyone would have in an office where there is carpeting, so you could roll your chair on it, had obviously been cut and placed in the floor area of the driver's compartment," said Michael Jockers, an investigator with the St. Petersburg police department.

The investigator says the model number on the Camry's gas pedal is not part of Toyota's recall.

Several drivers and passengers suffered non-life threatening injures in the crash and were taken to local hospitals.