Bentley recalled cars because accelerators were getting stuck two years before Niagara Falls crash that killed Kurt and Monica Villani in their 2022 Flying Spur
- Kurt and Monica Villani traveled in a $300,000 2022 Bentley Flying Spur
- In 2021, other Flying Spurs were recalled due to an issue with accelerator pedals
- Bentley says the recall only applied to right-hand drive vehicles not sold in the U.S. or Canada
- A couple died when their vehicle crashed and caught fire
Bentley recalled a number of car models in 2021 because their accelerators were stuck, causing huge safety risks, two years before a Niagara Falls couple died in a fiery crash in their vehicle.
The automaker issued a recall in the summer of 2021 for Continental GT and Flying Spur models built between 2018 and 2021.
The recall notice cited a manufacturing defect that caused accelerators to freeze while engaged.
Kurt and Monica Villani approach the Rainbow Bridge checkpoint where their Bentley exploded after flying through the air on Wednesday, November 22
The couple was driving a 2022 Flying Spur, similar to the vehicle pictured
Kurt Villani, right, in 2014 with his son Kurt Jr., now 26. The family has yet to speak publicly about the tragedy
‘Inconsistent installation of the fuse box and electrical harness can cause the lower A-pillar trim to protrude into the cabin, reducing the clearance to the accelerator pedal.
“If the accelerator pedal is fully depressed while driving and cannot return to the rest position, the vehicle will continue to accelerate even if the driver’s foot is removed from the accelerator pedal,” the release said.
Kurt and Monica Villani, the couple who died on Wednesday, were in a 2022 Flying Spur – a luxury vehicle with enormous horsepower that could reach 60 mph in just four seconds.
In 2021, Bentley recalled some Flying Spurs due to an issue that caused the accelerator pedal to stick. Bentley says the defect did not apply to the Villanis’ vehicle
A Bentley spokesperson said this The New York Times the recall did not apply to Mr Villani’s vehicle as it was only relevant to right-hand side cars issued in Europe and Australia.
The automaker also said that law enforcement authorities had not yet been contacted to assist in the investigation.
It remains unclear what caused the couple to lose control and crash at a checkpoint on the American side of the bridge.
Rainbow Bridge is the busiest land crossing between the US and Canada. The incident on Wednesday sparked fears of a terrorist attack, with the FBI’s counter-terrorism task forces immediately launching an investigation.
The massive explosion occurred when the car crashed at an immigration checkpoint
It now appears to have been a tragic accident caused by driver error, a medical episode or a vehicle defect.
When the fire was extinguished, little was left of the vehicle. It is unknown if the car had a black box that would have captured the moments before the crash, or if it survived.
Seconds before it burst into flames, the car flew into the air and careened through the air as it approached the checkpoint.
Some witnesses described seeing the car driving toward the bridge at 100 miles per hour before the crash.
Niagara Falls police named the couple Friday.
Their adult children, aged 26 and 27, have not yet spoken publicly about the tragedy.