2003 Toyota Highlander... will not start in park, will start in neutral. If in park, will roll unless emergency brake is on. I'm asking for a neighbor, who is a pretty good mechanic, but is at a loss on this one. Thanks, Barbara

Something isn't right. (you already know that, eh?) The neutral safety switch isn't 'seeing' park. Something is out of adjustment. I'll bet a cable has come out of it's pod in the console area.
The parking pawl in the transmission is what holds park, and if it can't be properly set, then there's your problem.
OK, now my question: what led up to this? Any recent work history that we should know about?
It's amazing what I get out of people by asking this simple question.

I really don't know.. the car is a neighbor's and a friend of my husband's, who was/is a mechanic from his home country of El Salvador, was asked to see if he could figure out the problem. I do know the car is on the go a lot.. a household with 4 guys sharing this truck.. I also know that someone hit the truck's front end, then this developed after 2 or 3 days maybe.. so- not sure what led up to it for certain... NC? Where? I went to UNC-Chapel Hill.. A beautiful state! Thanks for your thoughts.

UNC/ Duke rival it out in 4 days. :) I'm right in between the two of them.