Officer helps stop runaway Toyota Prius in San Diego (w/ Video)

While Toyota was trying to prove to the media and the public that there is nothing electronically wrong with their gas pedal issue, a runaway Toyota Prius in San Diego had a driver calling 911 for help after his hybrid hit speeds of up to 94 mph.

James Sikes, 61, was driving down a San Diego County freeway when he accelerated to pass another vehicle and could not control his car, according to California Highway Patrol.

“I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car and it did something kind of funny … it jumped and it just stuck there,” Sikes said. “As it was going, I was trying the brakes … it wasn’t stopping, it wasn’t doing anything and it just kept speeding up.”

Eventually an officer pulled up and told Sikes to apply the brake pedal and the emergency brake at the same time. After the car came down to about 50 mph, Sikes turned off the engine and coasted to a stop with the officer’s car in front of his as a precautionary block.

Sikes said that two weeks prior to the incident, he had taken his Prius to an El Cajon dealership for repairs after receiving a recall notice, but was turned away.

“I gave them my recall notice and they handed it back and said I’m not on the recall list,” Sikes said.

In a short statement Toyota said that it has “dispatched a field technical specialist to San Diego to investigate the report and offer assistance.”

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Detroit News