US Police stop another runaway Prius as Toyota prepares to delay future models

Police had to use a patrol car to slow a runaway Toyota Prius in San Diego yesterday, after the car's accelerator pedal allegedly became stuck at 90mph.

The driver James Sikes, 61, said he was overtaking another vehicle when he lost control of his Prius. "I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car and it did something kind of funny ... it jumped and it just stuck there," said Sikes. "As it was going, I was trying the brakes ... it wasn't stopping, it wasn't doing anything and it just kept speeding up."

Sikes called the police who caught up with him in a pursuit vehicle. Using the loud speaker, officers advised Sikes to apply the handbrake and footbrake together, and pulled in front of the Prius to slow it with their own vehicle. When the car decelerated below 50mph, Sikes turned off the engine and allowed it to coast to a halt.