European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 04, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes monday september 4,1989 Agency halted 25 probes of autos Nader group says Washington a the Federal Agency responsible for correcting dangerous automobile defects has halted 25 investigations covering 37 million vehicles in the past eight years under Industry pressure a private watchdog organization charged saturday. Four of the probes were abandoned this year by the National Highway traffic safety administration according to the Center for Auto safety. The Center founded by consumer advocate Ralph Nader frequently accuses the government of lax automobile regulation. They arc carrying out a predetermined policy to get inc government off the backs of the car companies said Clarence Ditlow the group s executive director. Our feeling is the Public is literally Riding at risk of death or injury1 in these 37 million  Tim Hurd spokesman for the Nitsa. Said Ditlow had issued almost the same statement three years ago. It s not the first time they be been critical of us and i m sure it s not the last Hurd said. The Agency denies the allegations he said. Each of the investigations referred to was closed for Good Rea son after an extensive investigation by Nitsa Engi  in each of the 25 aborted investigations Nitsa had requested Auto manufacturers to conduct safely recalls but was refused according to a Center for Auto safety statement. Each time the Agency discontinued its probe after being rebuffed the statement alleged. The vehicles under investigation collectively had experienced 2,176 accidents resulting in 653 injuries 29 deaths and 106 fires it said. Ditlow acknowledged that the Nitsa sometimes stops investigations after finding insufficient evidence to proceed but said the cases his group was targeting should have been pursued further. We re talking about when an Agency writes a letter asking for a recall and they the manufacturer say no and the Agency closes the Case out Dillow said. Hurd said the Nitsa never slops an investigation because an automaker refuses to Issue a recall. In each Case Ditlow mentioned the Agency decided a recall was not justified Hurd said. This year inc agency1 has ordered 123 recalls involving 3.6 million vehicles he said. The trend toward ordering recalls has been upward since 1983," Hurd said. Among the vehicles thai the Nitsa stopped investigating were 456,000 Ford vans and trucks with dual rear wheels manufactured Between 1977 and 1984, despite complaints that the wheels came off. The Center said. Also the Agency abandoned investigations of 50,000 Thomas built buses from 1978 to 1986 that allegedly were susceptible to splitting apart in crashes and 2 million 1978-82 Chrysler Omni Hori on a cars subject to stalling because of defective Carbur Clor isolator plates the Center said. In each Case deaths and injuries were blamed on the alleged defects the group said. This year the Center charged the Nitsa prematurely stopped investigating rear Brake lockup in 1.9 million 1981-85 general motors a cars for which 518 acid cats. 168 injuries and nine deaths were blamed. Rear Brake lockup in 450,000 Ford Mustang Ca Pris made in 1979, blamed for 100 accidents 40 injuries and seven deaths. Rear Brake lockup in 2.7 million 1982-85 general motors a cars. Blamed for 388 accidents. 125 injuries and seven deaths. Scats falling backward in 5.6 million 1981-86 Ford escort Lynnes blamed for 43 accidents and 35 injuries. Ford recalled 80,000 of the affected models in 1984, the Center said. Like father like son a 2-week-old, 3-ounce african spurred Tortoise basks the san Antonio zoo. Dad is 40 years old and weighs in the Texas Sun while sitting on his dad s head at almost 80 pounds. Stateside supermarket crime split Between 2 cites police Pawtucket . A shoplifters and others who commit crimes in a new supermarket can expect to Deal with the Pawtucket police unless they steal produce or try to Cash bad checks. Because Shaw s supermarket straddles the provi do acc Pawtucket line the two cities police depart ments met recently to decide who is responsible for crimes in different sections of the store. The Check cashing Booth is in Providence so any checks passed at the Courtesy Booth that come Back bad will be handled by Providence said Pawtucket police capt. Carl Benson. We got All the Cash Regis ters. As far As shoplifters go i m told that the Only part of the Market that is in Providence is produce so we expect Well get most of the shoplifters. Not Many people steal apples and  several people have been arrested for shoplifting since the store opened two weeks ago All of them in Paw Tuckel s Section Benson said. Vintage fighter crashes Pilot passenger injured los Angeles a a world War ii Vintage fighter crashed into a House shortly after Takeoff from Santa Monica Airport on saturday injuring the Pilot and a passenger authorities said. The House was heavily damaged but no one was at Home and no one on the ground was injured when the single engine p-51 crashed about 5 45 p.m., said fire department spokesman Jim Wells. There was no fire he said. The Pilot reported engine trouble and was trying to return to the Airport when he crashed said a Federal aviation administration duty officer who declined to identify himself. The 56-year-old Pilot and a 19-year-old woman Pas Senger were taken to a Hospital where they were being examined said a nursing supervisor. Soviet dancer defector weds american in Denver Denver a a soviet dancer who left her troupe As it toured Utah last month has wed an Ameri can. Svitlana Kircko 32, met Robert a Claylick 22, a resident of Idaho while performing with the ukrainian Donass Folk dance group. Retallick said he and Kircko were married sat urday at a ukrainian orthodox Church Here. Jetliner lands safely despite engine failure by the Cox news service Austin Texas an engine on an America West Boeing 737 failed As the aircraft approached Austin s Robert Mueller Airport but the plane landed safely and no one was injured a dispatcher with the Austin fire department said. Firefighters stationed near the Airport were mobilized when the Pilot of the aircraft radioed air traffic controllers that an engine on the Jet had failed. The transmission from the Pilot came when the air line was about five minutes away from the Airport. Sooner hit by cars killed on Calif Highway los Angeles a a 19-year-old Man was struck and killed by two cars while mooning passing vehicles on a Highway saturday authorities said. A witness reported the Man was standing in a South bound Lane of the Pacific coast Highway at about 1 a m. His pants were Down and he was Bent Over with his Back to the vehicle when he was struck by a car travelling about 45 Mph police officer Roger Peck quoted the witness As saying. The Man was knocked Down and a second car ran Over his body Peck said. Killed was Jesus Lopez of los Angeles said Peck