NATCHEZ — A nationally known product formerly made in Natchez sometimes had a tendency to go full-speed ahead, and failure to quickly report the defect is now costing Bad Boy Enterprises LLC $715,000.

The company agreed to pay the penalty to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for failing to immediately report defective buggies that accelerated without warning.

But, in agreeing to the settlement, the company denies the existence of the defect or that it violated the law.

Natchez residents and company owners John Dale IV and Pat Burns signed the settlement agreement with CPSC.

The malfunctioning buggies, which were later voluntarily recalled, were sold between 2003 and June 2010.

A CPSC press release says in 2008 the company began a repair program to correct the acceleration problem, but reportedly did not notify the CPSC until August 2009.

The first recall came in October 2009; a second recall came in December.

More than 50 reports of sudden acceleration resulting in minor or major injuries were filed.

The Bad Boy brand of electric off-road vehicle is no longer made in Natchez. The company was sold to Georgia-based E-Z-Go in late 2010, and all manufacturing moved to Augusta by March.

The Natchez-based Bad Boy Enterprises LLC was dissolved last month.