HORNELL, N.Y. (WENY) -- A high speed car chase leaves one local man uninjured, but traumatized after he says his car sped out of control, going over 100 miles per hour on the highway.
21-year-old Chris Galusha of Hornell tells WENY News on Saturday around 7 pm, he was on his way to Family Dollar in Hornell. Galusha says he noticed something was wrong when he was 2010 Toyota RAV4 would not slow down. Galusha says his car started to slowly accelerate while he was driving on Crosby Street, heading towards Interstate-36.
"It started accelerating slowly, but faster as it goes. So, I realized I was in some serious trouble and that I had to call help," said Galusha.
Galusha says he called 911 immediately, begging for help and not knowing that call would save his life.
"They told me to put my car from drive into neutral. But it was stuck in drive, it wouldn't go into neutral. My brakes wouldn't work, my emergency brake wouldn't work, nothing would work and my car was just starting to speed out of control, faster and faster," said Galusha.
Galusha said by the time he reached Burger King on State Route 36 in Hornell, his car had already sped up to 70 miles per hour. By that time, 911 had received multiple calls of an erratic driver. Galusha says he made his way onto I-86, free of any obstacles.
"At the time I was on Interstate 86 onto the ramp, I was doing 80 miles per hour. I didn't think I was going to make it," said Galusha.
Galusha says he was helpless as his RAV4 soon was going 115 miles per hour. New York State Police were right along with him, figuring out how to get the car to stop. Galusha says while he was on I-86 heading towards Bath, troopers were able to place spike strips down in order for his tires to deflate.
"The Trooper was able to deploy spike strips up the road by the Kanona exit, by the Pilot truck stop. He was able to deploy his spike strips and attempt to help me de-accelerate my vehicle," said Galusha.
Galusha says his tires began to deflate and his speed started to slow down.
"I grabbed my emergency brake handle and I yanked it as hard as I could. At that time, the wheels locked up and set me out of control into the median, where my car was buried in the mud and it was able to come to a halt," said Galusha.
Galusha says he can't thank enough the law enforcement and the 911 dispatcher who he says saved his life. While he is now safe, the effects of the ordeal are still with him.
"I may never fully recover from it. But the most important thing is that I am alive and I am able to spend my time with my family," said Galusha.
As for Galusha's 2010 Toyota RAV4, he's working with Toyota to find out what went wrong.
