Ontario Provincial Police say a tire that flew off one vehicle and hit another has killed a 24-year-old man.
The collision happened on Highway 401 between McCowan and Markham roads before 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The eastbound express lanes of the highway were closed between Warden and Morningside avenues for the investigation. A westbound express lane was also closed for emergency vehicles, though all lanes have since reopened.
“We had a westbound pickup truck towing a trailer. One of the trailer tires did become detached from that trailer and crossed over to the eastbound express lanes where it struck another vehicle,” OPP Acting Sgt. Dan Hunter said.
“The 24-year-old male driver has died as a result of injuries sustained in that collision.”
The victim has since been identified as Christian Romero-Mancilla of Toronto.
Hunter said the pickup truck involved pulled over on the DVP and officers spoke to the driver.
He said wheel fasteners on the trailer “appear to have been loose for a period of time” and eventually the wheel snapped off.
He also said no charges have yet been laid but it is likely charges will be laid under the Highway Traffic Act.
Sgt. Kerry Schmidt previously said that OPP investigate about 150 “wheel separation” incidents every year in the Greater Toronto Area.
— With files from Ryan Rocca