Toyota trying to keep Koua Fong Lee from joining lawsuit

Toyota is trying to bar Koua Fong Lee, the St. Paul man who was sentenced to eight years in prison after a fatal crash, from joining a lawsuit against the auto company.

Toyota has asked a U.S. district judge to keep Lee, who was released from prison in August after a judge overturned his conviction, out of a lawsuit filed on behalf of victims' family members.

Lee was driving a Toyota Camry when he crashed into another car, killing three people. In the wake of Toyota's well-publicized problems with sudden unintended acceleration in newer model Toyota vehicles, Lee's attorneys won Lee a new hearing.

A hearing on Lee's request to join the victim's family members lawsuit is set for next week. An attorney for Lee said if he is barred from joining that lawsuit, they will file a complaint against the automaker as a separate action.

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