Out-of-Control Car Reverses into Traffic on Main Street

A driver backing out of a parking space on the 200 block of Main Street reportedly lost control of his car for a scary few minutes Tuesday morning, crashing into another car and apparently setting off a chain reaction of smash-ups before stopping.

"It was like a domino effect," said agent Neal Randles. "The car hits one car that hits another one that hits another one."

No one was seriously injured nor taken to the hospital in the incident, which occurred shortly after 10:30 a.m., said Randles, although initially, police, fire and an ambulance responded.

"Everyone in the world was there," said Randles, who arrived on scene and found at least five fellow officers from the police traffic, community service and patrol units, plus a fire department truck and an ambulance.

There were reports of abrasions in the five-car accident, and one woman complained of leg pain, though she declined a trip to the hospital, a dispatcher for the said.

The cause of the accident is under investigation, Randles said. "The male had a backing-up incident and apparently ended up backing up at a high rate of speed, hitting all those cars."

"How many cars?" Randles asked, repeating Los Altos Patch's question. "Way too many."

A big thank-you to Baidra Prochnow Murphy, local Realtor, who jumped in with her camera around noon, when there was still plenty of action going on and lots of interest from the sidelines (except on the part of the Scottish terrier).