American Scene

CALIFORNIA

NHTSA to inspect runaway Prius

EL CAJON | A Toyota Prius that sped out of control on a California freeway was towed to a dealership Tuesday while federal and company inspectors converged on the car to determine whether a stuck gas pedal was to blame.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent two investigators to examine the car after Monday’s incident, said Olivia Alair, a spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation, which oversees NHTSA. Toyota Motor Corp. spokesman Brian Lyons said the automaker is sending three of its own technicians to investigate.

James Sikes, 61, of Jacumba, told authorities that the accelerator malfunctioned Monday as he drove his Prius on Interstate 8 in San Diego County. The car reached 94 mph during the 20 minutes before a California Highway Patrol officer helped get the Prius driver to slow down and turn off the engine.

The CHP held the car overnight but it was towed to the dealership Tuesday, Officer Brian Pennings said.

The incident comes while Toyota is trying to calm fears about the safety of its vehicles, which had been known for their safety and reliability.

LOUISIANA

Executive’s body found in river

NEW ORLEANS | The body of a missing Texas oil executive was pulled from the Mississippi River, police said.

Bob Young of the New Orleans police department said police think Douglas Schantz, 54, drowned accidentally. Mr. Schantz, president of Houston-based Sequent Energy Management, had been missing since early Friday.

He was in town to give Tulane University a $25,000 gift during a reception Thursday. A colleague who was with him said that after the dinner they went to Bourbon Street around midnight.

Police said Mr. Schantz left a bar around 2 a.m. and was then seen on a security video at a river dock. They said he had been drinking and seemed disoriented.

Police said Mr. Schantz had all of his credit cards and jewelry and foul play is not suspected.

NEW JERSEY

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