Runaway Prius Reaches 94 MPH before Being Rescued by Highway Patrol

The 2008 Toyota Prius of James Sikes of California suddenly accelerated on a highway Monday, hitting 94 mph before the driver was able to regain control with the assistance of the California Highway Patrol. The cause of the problem was a “stuck” gas pedal.

According to Mr. Sikes, he gripped the steering wheel and attempted to pull the gas pedal up with his right hand. “I thought maybe it was stuck,” Sikes said. “Somehow the pedal was stuck. But it wasn’t stuck on anything that was visible.”

Toyota has announced separate recalls to remedy “sticky” gas pedals and flawed floor mats. The 2008 Prius is included in the floor-mat recall but not the gas-pedal recall. The 2008 model uses a different gas pedal from vehicles that supposedly have the “sticky” pedals.

Mr. Sikes claims that he checked the floor mat during the incident as well, but the mat was “perfect.”

Highway Patrol Intervenes

Sixty-one-year-old Sikes was heading east at 1:30 PM on Interstate 8 by Lake Jennings Park Road when he attempted to pass another car, according to reports by the California Highway Patrol. Sikes then realized that his Prius seemed to be speeding up on its own.

Sikes tried to regain control of the vehicle by himself unsuccessfully and finally called 911 when the vehicle reached speeds of more than 90 mph. Sikes reported that the Prius reached a speed of 94 mph at one point.

A California Highway Patrol squad car reached Sikes when he was slightly east of Kitchen Creek Road, which means he had driven more than 20 miles since the unintended acceleration began. Officer Todd Neibert drove alongside the Toyota Prius and started giving the driver instructions via his loudspeaker.

“When I saw him, I could smell the brakes,” Neibert said.

“I was standing on the brake pedal,” explained Sikes, “looking out the window at him.”

Following instructions from the highway patrol officer, Sikes pressed the brake to the floor and used the emergency brake to bring the Prius back under control. Sikes managed to get the vehicle down to 55 mph. After trying several times to shut the car off with the ignition button, Sikes finally succeeded.

Sikes Will “Never” Drive Prius Again

Officer Neibert parked his patrol car in front of Sikes’ Prius in the event that the car started accelerating again.

Sikes claimed that there was “nothing wrong with my mat” and that his gas pedal “stayed right where it was” when he tried to lift it up. Sikes also reported that there were numerous times when he got near other cars, and he was also worried about driving off the highway in the east hills near San Diego.

“I won’t drive that car again, period,” Sikes said. “Maybe they can find out what’s wrong with them now.”

Sikes then alluded to the unintended acceleration incident that took the lives of California Highway Patrol officer Mark Saylor and three of his family members in Santee, California in August of 2009. “That was just right down here,” he commented, “not too far from me. Obviously, if I can have a problem, anybody can have a problem.”