Queens WWII vet Faults Toyota as ’09 Camry Hits Synagogue

A Queens World War II veteran said he and his wife became the latest victims of Toyota accelerator woes when his 2009 Camry’s gas pedal jammed – sending the car careening into a synagogue.

Gerald Silver, 86, a D-Day veteran and Purple Heart recipient, said the gas pedal got stuck on Monday afternoon as he was turning onto Yellowstone Blvd. from Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills, a few blocks from his apartment.

“The car just speeded up unbelievably,” said Silver, who was returning home with his wife, Roslyn.

“I attempted to brake it and it just kept getting faster and faster. I was practically right on top of two cars. I hit both of them and then ended up on the steps of the synagogue.”

Silver said the crash could have been much worse. “Thank God that we had our shoulder straps on,” he said.

Silver said the crash left him “shook up with the nerves,” but his wife suffered a bruise on her forehead and had to be treated at a local hospital.

Police confirmed the crash but would not comment on what may have prompted it.

But Silver had no doubt what caused the accident. “It’s quite obvious – I blame Toyota,” he said.

The incident came as Toyota announced Monday night that it is recalling about 170,000 Prius hybrid cars in Japan for braking problems and will soon disclose its global plans for a fix.

Toyota’s president, Akio Toyoda, may outline plans Tuesday for a possible recall in the U.S. – which would lift the total recall number to 300,000, a company official told The Associated Press.