Toyota 'Mystified' by Runaway Prius Case in Calif.

FILE - In this Tuesday, March 9, 2010 file photo, driver James Sikes talks about his experiences in...

FILE - In this Tuesday, March 9, 2010 file photo, driver James Sikes talks about his experiences in his Toyota Prius during a news conference held at Toyota of El Cajon in El Cajon, Calif. A law firm for the driver who says his Toyota Prius sped out of control in California doesn't plan to sue the Japanese automaker. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)

(AP)

A Toyota executive said Thursday the company is "mystified" by a report that a California man's Prius gas pedal became stuck and caused the car to speed out of control on a California freeway.

James Sikes quickly became the face of the Toyota gas pedal scandal after he called 911 to report losing control of his Prius on Monday. His car reached nerve-rattling speeds of 94 mph before an officer helped bring it to a stop.

Federal investigators are looking into the incident, and Toyota officials said they have talked extensively to Sikes.

A law firm representing Sikes said Thursday he has no plans to sue Toyota over the ordeal. A phone message left for the firm seeking additional comment wasn't immediately returned.

Don Esmond, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales, said all Priuses are equipped with a computer system that cuts power to the wheels if the brake and gas pedals are depressed at the same time — something Sikes was doing.

"It's tough for us to say if we're skeptical. I'm mystified in how it could happen with the brake override system," he said.

He attributed the bulk of problematic Toyota acceleration reports to faulty floor mats that trap the gas pedal.

The harrowing story served as yet another embarrassment for Toyota as it fends off intense public backlash over safety issues.

Toyota has recalled some 8.5 million vehicles worldwide — more than 6 million in the United States — because of acceleration problems in multiple models and braking issues in the Prius. Regulators have linked 52 deaths to crashes allegedly caused by accelerator problems.

The dramatic ordeal unfolded Monday as Sikes drove his blue 2008 Prius along a freeway near San Diego.

He called 911 and reported that his gas pedal had become stuck, and spoke to dispatchers in two calls that spanned 23 minutes. The 911 dispatcher repeatedly told Sikes to throw the car into neutral and turn off the ignition. Sikes often didn't respond to her instructions, but he later said he had put down the phone to keep both hands on the wheel.