Sheriff’s deputy maneuvers to stop runaway car in La Crescenta

A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy today was forced to use his patrol car to stop an out-of-control vehicle traveling over 50 mph on Pennsylvania Avenue, officials said.

A Tujunga woman, 51, was driving a Ford Focus and turning from Foothill Boulevard onto Pennsylvania Avenue at about 11:20 a.m. today when the deputy noticed her frantically trying to wave him down as her car continued to speed up, officials said.

The woman blew through at least five intersections before the deputy was able to speed ahead of her and use his brakes to slow and eventually stop the runaway car, said sheriff’s Sgt. Gary Ogurek.

No one was injured in the incident, and the woman’s Focus escaped with a minor scratch.

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FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the woman was stopped on Fotohill Boulevard.

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A preliminary inspection of the woman’s vehicle found that her brakes were not working.

Ogurek said the department doesn’t necessarily train for techniques on how to stop runaway vehicles, but he described the deputy, Marcelo Ruiz, as having “a lot of driving experience.”

“He just happened to be the right person at the right place at the right time,” Ogurek said.