3.11.2010

VIDEO: "Runaway Prius" Driver: "Questionable" Police Reports, Bankruptcy


One of the best things a victim or witness can say is that they have nothing to gain (especially in terms of money) from their story. Having an impeccable record of truth-telling is also really helpful.

So these two reports from San Diego ABC affiliate KGTV, Channel 10 aren't so good for Jim Sikes, who says he had an unintended acceleration incident in his Toyota Prius on a San Diego County freeway Monday afternoon.

Let's start with the truth-telling part. Watch this report from KGTV. Wait for the reporter to do the recap of the incident, or scroll in to 1:14.

And then there's money. KGTV reports Sikes is was (Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2008) more than a quarter-million dollars under water. Significant: They interview a social psychologist/criminologist. Watch the story here.

Put all that together with a sequence of events and accumulation of details that have a lot of people scratching their heads, and Sikes' story is going to need some very hard forensic evidence. Federal and California authorities and Toyota technicians are examining his car now.

Related Link: Prius Chat boards: Why the out-of-control Prius driver is full of it