Man dies after flying tire hits vehicle on Hwy 400 near King City

TORONTO — A man has died after a flying tire struck a vehicle on Highway 400 near King City Wednesday morning.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said a tire flew off of a transport truck traveling on the southbound lanes of Highway 400 around 9 a.m. and bounced into the northbound lanes, hitting the vehicle.

An air ambulance was called to the scene and transported the victim to a trauma centre where he succumbed to his injuries. Police said the transport truck was located close to the collision.

“One of the passenger-side rear duel wheels from the trailer is missing and obviously investigators will be looking back on the highway to see if they can find the lugs or the fasteners from that truck,” Schmidt said .

“This truck was fully loaded. You can tell on axle is shifted down to one side because the wheel is gone.”

https://twitter.com/OPP_HSD/status/692390237658570753

Schmidt said the impact of the tire on the vehicle would have been tremendous given the speed at which vehicles travel on Highway 400.

“With a set of wheels like that, even one wheel is a couple hundred pounds of steel that is coming towards you at maybe 100 kilometres per hour. You’re traveling towards it at 100 kilometres per hour,” Schmidt said.

The police are inspecting the truck closely.

“We’ll be looking at the history, maintenance records to see if this was a recent tire change or if there’s any other maintenance issues that need to be addressed,” Schmidt said.