Firestone Recall trickles down to Green Country

Pictured is the actual tire that shredded on Darla Holmes SUV. Holmes was not injured, but did receive damage to her truck. Green Country drivers are waiting in line,

Thursday, September 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Pictured is the actual tire that shredded on Darla Holmes SUV. Holmes was not injured, but did receive damage to her truck.

Green Country drivers are waiting in line, while others have already been bitten by failing Firestone tires.

Darla Holmes is one Tulsan who had a tire shred last weekend on her vehicle while driving. Holmes escaped unharmed, but the blown tire peeled apart and damaged her SUV. "I heard this pop and a snap, and my car wobbled and I started slowing down to get to the side of the road," said Holmes of the night her tire failed.

Her tire tread wrapped around the axle and did some damage to her truck. Holmes says sheâ€™s just glad she wasnâ€™t hurt as well.

"Thinking that people are driving around on them not knowing at anytime, it's just a blessing that we didn't have an accident," said Holmes.

Holmes got a set of new tires. She was moved to the top of a waiting list that local tire dealers say is several weeks long. Those that do make it to the top of the lists get free replacements, but tire dealers say they canâ€™t keep up with demand.

Robertson Tire manager Mark Robertson says heâ€™s swapped 600 recalled tires. He says he has 250 people on a waiting list and thinks it will take years to swap out all the defective tires. "I don't think it will happen this year," said Robertson.

The Firestone recall is being pushed by Congress, but attorneyâ€™s are paying special attention to the recall.

Tulsa's Gary Richardson represents a Fort Smith woman left paralyzed after an accident attributed to a tire tread separation.

"Had they done what they should have done, when they should have done it, this young lady wouldn't be laying in the hospital in Chicago today without the use of her limbs," said Robertson of Firestoneâ€™s alleged cover-up of faulty tires.

The government has compiled reports of 25 tire tread separations in Oklahoma involving four crashes, and two fatalities.

Tire dealers recommend calling to get on the waiting list. It's the fastest way to get a replacement.

Related Links
Bridgestone-Firestone
Ford Motors
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration