Toyota and Justice Department said to reach $1.2 billion settlement in criminal case

Toyota Motor Co. and the Justice Department have agreed on a $1.2-billion settlement to close a criminal probe into whether the automaker handled cases of sudden acceleration properly, according to media reports. The settlement -- which could be announced as early as Wednesday -- would end a four-year federal criminal investigation into sudden acceleration complaints dating back to 2009. The issue forced Toyota to recall millions of vehicles and pay out tens of millions of dollars in fines and civil settlements. Hundreds of civil lawsuits remain unresolved.