(FOX NEWS)--Federal inspectors are probing a high-profile incident Monday in which the driver of a speeding Toyota Prius called police for help saying his accelerator was stuck, AFP reported Tuesday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "is gathering details on yesterday's incident involving a recalled Prius that accelerated out of control," an unidentified source familiar with the probe told AFP.
The source said two investigators are flying out to inspect the car.
James Sikes, 61, was driving on the busy Interstate 8 freeway outside San Diego when he noticed his car was starting to accelerate of its own accord, the California Highway Patrol said.
The terrified motorist was helpless as the car hurtled out of control along the road at speeds of more than 90 miles per hour.
But Sikes was able to call police, and officers using a loudspeaker talked him through the process of slowing down by using his emergency brake and then turning off the engine.
Police then pulled in front of the car as it decelerated and rolled to a stop, then put the rear bumper of the squad car against the front of the Prius.
The incident came as Toyota staged a technical demonstration on Monday to attack allegations that problems with its electronics may cause its cars to speed out of control.
In recent months, Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide due to acceleration issues. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Toyota was still looking for a fix for the problem in several model years of Priuses, but Toyota countered that the car already had been included in a broader campaign of recalls.
The latest incident in California was a chilling echo of an incident last August where off-duty California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor was killed along with his wife, her brother and the Saylors' 13-year-old daughter when the accelerator of the Lexus ES350 they were in got stuck.
Minutes later, the Toyota-manufactured vehicle slammed into the back of a sport utility vehicle at about 100mph, veered off the freeway, overturned and burst into flames. All four family members died.
