Man loses control of car, crashes into tree in Arlington Hts.

A man was hospitalized Tuesday night after losing control of his vehicle on Central Road in Arlington Heights and driving through a number of backyards before crashing into a tree, police said.

The man was driving a pickup truck with a modified hand-brake when his foot became stuck under the foot pedal, said Arlington Heights Police Sgt. Scott Winkelman.

When the man tried to use the hand lever to brake, the malfunction caused the gas pedal to also push down, Winkelman said.

Police said the man rear-ended a vehicle on Central Road a few blocks west of Arlington Heights Road before losing control of the vehicle early Tuesday evening.

The pickup drove through two backyards on the 900 block of South Chestnut Avenue while running over a few sections of fencing before striking a tree. The tree hit a garage in the back of a home on the block but did not damage the structure, Winkelman said.

The man was taken to Northwest Community Hospital, with minor injuries, according to police.