She Was The Automakers First Female And Its Thenyoungest Vic Ralph Lauren Outlet

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Helped promote air bags at ford
One of the first women in the top ranks of auto executives, mrs.Petrauskas worked for ford for 30 years, primarily as vice president of environmental and safety engineering.She was the automaker's first female and its thenyoungest vice president.She was its oftenquoted executive on issues including the blowouts of firestone tires on ford explorers;The tendency of some vehicles to leap from park to reverse gear;Fordmade ambulances with fuel tanks that ignited;Ford vehicles that stalled unexpectedly during left turns;And air bags that inflated too explosively.

Her job put her before the public, before congress and before advocates for faster adoption of safety standards.Her colleagues said she was a master of compromise and helped engineer the agreement between ford and the federal government that resulted in the introduction of the first air bags in cars in 1990, after 20 years of pitched battle.It wasn't until the late 1980s after the reagan administration killed air bags and a supreme court ruling revived them again that a final compromise was hashed out by transportation secretary elizabeth dole.

Jerry terhorst, the former press secretary to president gerald ford who was ford motor co.'s national public affairs director from 1981 to 1991, said in an email statement: "More than any other execs, helen helped me(And others)In persuading not only ford hq but principally the federal government, in the early '80s, to provide the first 5, 000 governmentpurchased ford cars equipped with airbags and seatbelts which started the ball rolling. "

Born in lviv, ukraine, she was 3 days old when her family fled the country in a horsedrawn wagon.The family spent three years on an austrian farm before being allowed to immigrate to the united states.

Mrs.Petrauskas grew up in michigan and graduated from detroit's wayne state university with a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1966.She joined the sherwinwilliams co.As a chemist in the development of"Low emission"Automotive coatings.

Mrs.Petrauskas attended wayne state's law school at night and graduated in 1971.She then applied for a job at ford, hoping to work in antitrust litigation.But when the company found out about her sherwinwilliams experience, she was assigned to an important new field.

"Between the time i interviewed and the time i showed up, they decided what they really needed was lawyers who knew something about these new environmental laws,"Mrs.Petrauskas told the detroit news.

She rose quickly as the auto industry sought to cope with ever stricter antipollution and safety regulations.In 1983, she was named vice president.She served on multiple corporate and environmental organization boards and had a particular interest in wayne state university and ukrainian organizations.For most of her career, she commuted between washington and her michigan home, where she enjoyed a large garden and reading history, physics and british mysteries.She also indulged in difficult crossword puzzles.

Her daughter, laura petrauskas of troy, mich., said her mother was committed to safety and to air bags and often talked about her work.

"A car is an awfully big purchase for most people,"The daughter said. "You're producing something that is intrinsically dangerous, and you have a real responsibility to make it as safe as you can in those circumstances. "

In addition to her daughter, survivors include her husband of 36 years, raymond petrauskas of davisburg, mich. ;A brother;And a 3weekold granddaughter.

In 1987, business week named mrs.Petrauskas one of 50"Women to watch. "

"The prize goes to the loud and the pithy,"She told the detroit news in 2001, as she retired. "To be heard, you're forced to be louder than you want to be, and you're forced to be more simplistic than your true belief is. "
Three people arrested in alleged drug house in Chester Township with video

Chester township police, the geauga county prosecutor office, the geauga county sheriff office and the ohio bureau of criminal investigation arrested constance thomas, 54, her 27yearold son spencer thomas and 18yearold james velotta.Constance thomas 17yearold son also was present and charges will be forthcoming, said geauga county prosecutor james flaiz.

The family was renting a home at 12835 caves road.OnMonday, the prosecutor office filed a complaint to declare the alleged drug house a nuisance.Geauga county common pleas judge forrest w.Monday.

According to an ohio automated rx reporting system report received by investigators, constance thomas filled monthly prescriptions for 120 pills of oxycodone, 60 pills of morphine, 120 pills of carisoprodol and 90 pills of xanax.Spencer thomas also filed prescriptions for oxycodone, endocet, morphine, carisoprodol and alprazolam, and the juvenile filled prescriptions for adderall and mixed amphetamine salt.

According to the complaint from the prosecutor office:

On march 13, criminal investigator karen m.Sweet with the prosecutor office and chester police sgt.Robert pomnean began daily surveillance of the house and constant daily shortterm vehicle and person traffic, handtohand transactions and other activity.

On march 20, sweet and pomnean took five bags of abandoned garbage from the front tree lawn of the home.On wednesday, eight bags were taken, containing 85 used syringes.Thursday, police responded to 8301 sherman road in chester for a house alarm.When crews arrived, constance thomas met chester police at the door.She informed them that the home owner, kevin ellison, was unresponsive from an apparent drug overdose.

At the scene, officers observed constance thomas odd and touching her vaginal area frequently.She soon admitted that she had hidden evidence in her **** and removed a plastic contact lens case.It contained what was later tested to be heroin.

Thomas appeared in chardon municipal court later that day and posted bond of 10 percent of $10, 000, court records state.Charged with felony drug possession, she was scheduled for a preliminary hearing for this coming friday.

According to the complaint from the prosecutor office:

On friday, a informant purchased drugs inside thomas caves road residence and recorded the transaction on video and audio.A juvenile was present during the transaction.

James velotta will be arraigned april 29 on a firstdegree misdemeanor count of driving under a suspended license and two minor misdemeanors of illegal advertising of drug paraphernalia and marijuana possession, according to chardon municipal court records.

Constance thomas will appear in court tuesday with an attorney for bond to be set for the case involving adderall possession.She will appear april 11 for the other drug charge, for which she already has posted bond.