Police Help Stop 90mph Runaway Prius

Toyota is sending an investigator

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 9, 2010 12:05 PM CST

(Newser) – In yet another runaway Toyota incident, a man called 911 yesterday when his 2008 Prius went out of control on Interstate 8 near San Diego, hitting 90mph and refusing to decelerate. When driver James Sikes tried to pass another car, he says the gas pedal “jumped and it just stuck there. I was trying the brakes … it wasn’t stopping.” A police car was dispatched, and zipped in front of Sikes to shield other cars.

The officer then told Sikes by megaphone to hit his emergency brake, which slowed the car to about 50 mph. At that point Sikes turned off the engine, and the car slowed to a stop, reports the Los Angeles Times. Toyota says it’s sending an investigator to examine the car. Sikes’ model was part of Toyota’s massive recall, but he tells a local TV station that his dealership told him it wasn’t when he tried to turn it in.

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[Videos (1)]

The runaway Prius is seen on Interstate 8 in this TV screenshot.

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James Sikes, the owner of a Toyota Prius talks about the car that seemed to be accelerating on its own along Interstate 8 Monday. (KNSD San Diego NBC)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 40 comments

boeing767

Mar 13, 2010 10:57 PM CST

This sounds like another case of FRAUD. People jumping on the bad wagon for a quick buck from Toyota. What people fail to see is that all modren cars have a black box like they have in aircraft and when they download that info and see that brakes were never even applied they are screwed.

scraw

Mar 10, 2010 4:22 PM CST

He had time to dial 911 but no time turn off the engine or shift it out of gear? Seems like the problem is the loose nut behing the wheel!

ashakeandfrys

Mar 10, 2010 4:04 PM CST

Easily could have popped it in neutral and hit the brakes..

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California • Toyota • San Diego • Prius • Toyota recall • Prius recall • runaway Prius

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Police Help Stop 90mph Runaway Prius