( CNN ) -- The driver of a Toyota Prius says he was taken on a wild ride Monday after the car 's accelerator became stuck , reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph on a winding , hilly portion of a southern California interstate . It took the California Highway Patrol to bring the car safely to a stop . The driver , Jim Sikes , said he was traveling east on Interstate 8 outside of the San Diego area when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle . `` I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car , and it just did something kind of funny ... and it just stuck there , '' he said at a news conference outside a Highway Patrol office . `` As I was going , I was trying the brakes ... and it just kept speeding up . '' Sikes said he called 911 for help , and dispatchers talked him through instructions on how he might be able to stop the car . But nothing worked . At one point , Sikes said he reached down to try to pull the accelerator up , but it `` stayed right where it was . '' Alerted by emergency dispatchers , a California Highway Patrol officer was able to catch up to Sikes ' Prius and used the patrol car 's public address system to instruct Sikes to apply the brakes and the emergency brake at the same time . The tactic worked , and the car slowed to about 50 mph . Sikes said he was able to shut off the car , and it rolled to a stop . The responding officer , Todd Neibert , positioned his patrol car in front of the Prius as a precaution to prevent it from moving again . Toyota recently issued widespread recalls due to problems related to the accelerator pedal in several of its auto models . One theory behind the sticky accelerators is the vehicles ' floor mats . But Sikes said `` my mat was perfect . There was nothing wrong with my mat . '' Sikes said he took his 2008 Prius into a local Toyota dealership about two weeks ago for service and gave workers there his recall notice . He said he was told his car was n't on the recall list . `` I 'll be back there tomorrow , '' he said Monday , visibly shaken up . CHP spokesman Brian Pennings said the ordeal lasted just over 20 minutes . `` We are extremely thankful that there was a safe end to this , '' Pennings said . A Toyota spokesman issued a statement Monday night saying the automaker had been notified of the incident . `` Toyota has dispatched a field technical specialist to San Diego to investigate the report and offer assistance , '' the statement said .
`` I pushed the gas pedal ... and it just stuck there , '' said Jim Sikes . Sikes had to get help from the California Highway Patrol to stop his car . A Toyota spokesman said the automaker had been notified of the incident .