A deadly morning on 35W
Posted on March 7th, 2008 – 11:05 AMBy Roadguy
Sometimes, there’s nothing drivers can do to protect themselves from the dangers of the road. A seat belt, an airbag, the most cautious driving in the world, and still — an object can fly across the freeway, with instantly tragic results.
Loose tire bounces across median, kills pickup truck driver
If you witnessed this morning’s accident or aftermath, were caught in the jam, or have seen loose objects or other potentially deadly debris, please take a moment to comment below.
42 Responses to "A deadly morning on 35W"
Is it known if the lug nuts on the truck’s wheel were loosened intentionally? Sounds like the sort of thing some dumb prankster would do, with little thought or regard to the consequences. Or maybe the tires had been recently changed, rotated, intalled, etc. Short of erecting some kind of taller barrier (gate, fence, etc.), I don’t know how you could prevent such a freak occurranace. Nobody would want a solid barrier ten feet high, but a strong net may be a good compromise. It may help keep vehicles out of oncoming traffic, too. Or at least slow them down enough to give oncoming traffic more time to react. Several years ago, a friend was killed when a truck blew a tire, toppled over the cement divider into oncoming traffic, and landed on her car.
I assume the tires were still mounted on the rims, since that is what would come off if the lug nuts were loose. I’d call that a “wheel”, not just a “tire”.
Another really burning question would be (as irrelevant as it seems): if they are doing major construction on the highway and there is nothing more than a temporary barrier separating the two lanes of traffic, then why is there a MASSIVE garbage truck riding in the LEFT lane in the first place? What if he had experienced a blowout and the entire truck flipped into oncoming traffic. Slow and heavy vehicles need to stay to the right and the state should be practicing due dilengence when putting up TEMPORARY barriers for a TWO YEAR road project.
Star Tribune:
The description of the direction of the tires at the start of your story is backward. For a southbound truck, the left wheel was probably what went over the wall, not the right wheel.
Please reconfirm your facts.
Thanks,
Mike
I believe the tires were cargo - not the tires attached to the truck.
If they are truly cargo - why not secured properly?
I was in Milwaukee when I saw something similar, minus the fatality. A spare tire was bouncing down I-94 Eastbound (I was headed West). It had bounced off enough cars that it was going easily 60 mph when it bounced over the median in the westbound lanes, directly behind my car.
The last I saw it hit the front bumper of a car a few cars back and went skyward. By the time it landed I was in another ZIP code. Scary stuff, given the amount of energy contained in a wheel going 130+ relative to the car it hit.
I drove past this accident this morning. the garbage truck was missing a wheel from a rear axel on the left (driver) side.
I had considered the possibility that they were cargo (and therefore just tires), but a previous version of the article mentioned lug nuts (which would have no bearing on tires as cargo), and the current version states that “…a set of tires on the left side of the truck came loose.”
Further confirmation is on the Minnesota State Patrol website: http://www.dps.state.mn.us/patrol/media/DisplayAllIncidents.asp
The description there reads: “DUALS CAME OFF OF GARBAGE TRUCK, STRUCK DODGE PU TRUCK NB 35W AREA OF 46TH ST.”
I had a similar experience occur a few years ago. A wheel came off a semi truck/trailer heading in the opposite direction, rolled down the ditch that divided the highway, became airborne and crashed through the front-end of windshield of the van I was driving. From my perspective the wheel dropped out of thin air, not having seen it come off of the semi. My vehicle came to a very sudden stop (traveling over 60mph) with airbags deploying and wearing my seatbelt, I was very fortunate not to have been seriously injured. Had the wheel come through the roof of the vehicle as described in the accident this morning, or through my windshield at a different angle, the outcome could have been very different. I cannot express enough how there is no time to react, no time to try to divert from the situation; it is just there in an instant. My prayers go out to the family of the victim of this morning’s unfortunate accident.
It’s terrible and I’m so sorry for the family of the man. What I can’t figure out is that the story goes on and on about how it caused traffic jams. I guess that is news, but…
Few years back driving south on 35W just outside of downtown Mpls. A big refrigerator box flipped backward from a truck in front of me, and landed right in my lane. No time to decide if the box had anything in it. No time to brake. Reflexes kicked in and I cut the wheel to left and screeeech!!!! That was nuts!
Glad no one was alongside me.
I suppose now, everyone is gonna be kicking tires on their cars before leaving–I know I will…
I saw the truck that was hit by the wheel, while I was driving (slowly) to work. It looked like the wheel went through the windshield of the truck and struck the driver. The windshield was completely imploded and mis-shapen. The rear window of the truck was kind of punched out too, although the glass was still intact. My thoughts go out to that man’s family. I agree with the other commenter. The wheel that went to the left would have crossed the traffic lanes, since the garbage truck was southbound and the pickup truck was northbound.
About 5 years ago, I was driving North on 35 toward Forest Lake at dusk. I was in the middle lane and there was another car in the left lane just ahead of me. In a split second, I saw what looked like a chunk of concrete come out from under the other car’s wheels and sail toward my windshield. I heard a loud thump & I screamed, but it appeared to miss the glass, so where did it hit? There wasn’t a scratch on my car where I thought the impact must have been. It wasn’t until the NEXT MORNING that I saw what hit me. A gigantic steel spike had imbedded itself into my front fender just above my license plate! If I had been driving slower than I was, it would have gone through my windshield. Who knows, it could have gone through my head! I kept the spike in the place where it landed as a conversation piece and to remind me how fleeting life can be. I just donated that car last week to the Courage Center. I wonder what they think of it?
I was traveling eastbound on Hwy. 212 and a tire came off a semi-truck. The tire almost passed the truck it came off of and then it went into the median and rolled there for about a block then suddenly went back onto the eastbound lane for a short distance then finally went into the ditch on the right side and went through a barbed wire fence and ended up in a field. The truck driver realized it happened but there was nothing he could do but stop his truck and hope the tire didn’t hit anyone.
Robert,
Just speculation, but the truck may have been in the left lane in preparation for the left exit onto EB Crossstown.
How many big trucks, gravel trucks, landscaper trucks have we all seen on the road that are in bad shape. My local police just sent an officer to training to do truck safety and weight enforcement. The statistics they listed is that every day they find at least one truck so bad they have to shut it down and make the driver park it. Yet I never see the DOT highway patrol and weigh stations like you see in other states to keep the roads safe. Prevention and enforcement of our laws is in order.
The driver of a commerical vehicle, such as a garbage truck or semi, is legally REQUIRED to do a thorough Pre-Trip inspection. This inspection should include checking ALL the tires, wheels, and rims. Including the lug nuts. They should be TIGHT and holding the wheels securely.
I find it hard to believe that TIGHT lugs nuts would suddenly come off in the middle of driving. It sound like the garbage truck driver might have failed to check that the lug nuts were TIGHT.
Wow… holy crap. I was driving on 35W S this morning, and all I could think was, “Oh, a garbage truck dropped an axle or something.” I was annoyed, but now I just feel so sad for the guy that was killed — and his family.
I also thought it was kind of odd to see a garbage truck on the freeway in the first place.
My co-worker said, “Wow, what are the odds?” to which I responded, “I guess that’s what makes life life: there are no odds — just a bunch of crazy stuff that happens.”
RIP, pickup truck dude. Our thoughts are with you and your family.
Barry, I don’t think kicking the tires will be enough. A loose lug nut can probably still hold a wheel on when the vehicle isn’t moving. If you really want to check, you need to check the lug nuts with a torque wrench.
I wonder if the lug nuts were loose or if the bolts failed. I’ve heard of that happening on trucks before (I think a rental truck company had that problem many years ago).
How ironic and painful it was for me to hear of this, because nearly the same thing happened to me on sunday. Travelling home on 35N to Duluth, I was struck by a wheel that bounced across a 50 foot median from a van travelling south in north branch. I was partially struck by the wheel that I thought was coming through my winshield, but I hit another car and lost control of my vehicle while trying to avoid the wheel which was coming at me with force. The state trooper later told me I had “over-reacted” while trying to avoid the 100 pound bullet coming at me. Luckily, nobody involved was injured.
Somebody needs to be held accountable for this. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victom of this tragedy.
I actually had an incident somewhat similar. We were driving down a two lane road in southwest MN headed for South Dakota for pheasant hunting. I road in the front passenger seat. As a semi truck went pass us in the opposite direction, and a sheet of ice 3′X 5′ flew up, went through the windshield an hit me in the chest. Obviously a lot of the sheet disintegrated as it crushed through the glass but it did hit me hard. Let’s just say I wouldn’t have wanted to be hit in the face. Very scary. Wrong place at the wrong time when two vehicles just happen to be passing by each other at 75 miles an hour.
Funny this was a Waste Management truck. They are not our garbage collector, and I was just going to call and complain because EVERY time after they pick up our neighbor’s garbage there is debris and paper all over the road. This eventually blows into our yard. They are the only waste collector that has this problem in our neighborhood. Carelessness all around with this company.
All, read out on one of these media outlets. The lug nuts (plural) on the two tire have been loose for sometime. Someone is going to be so sued!! And fined.
Commerical license holders and company’s are obligated to do pre trip inspections and company’s are to maintain safe vehicles.
Prayers to this man’s family.
that’s it. no more freeway driving for me. these stories are too scary.
and that poor man. i feel so bad for him and his family.
Wow - 150 lb wheel & tire going 60 mph + the truck going 60 mph = 120 mph.
Poor guy didn’t know what hit him. His wife is set for life.
This bring up a valid reason for trucks to only use either the center or right lane on a 3-lane freeway. Trucks play a large roll in slowing down traffic, especially when they are in the far left lane on major freeways. Where are our legislators?
Even properly torqued lug nuts on a
brand new truck can work their way
loose. The person that maintains
our tires is required to re-torque
the lug nuts one day after changing
wheels on a truck.
DGB - His wife is set for life.
Unless the judgment is uncollectible (i.e. due to bankruptcy or some other issue). Just because something happened isn’t a guarantee there will be a pay day or that you’ll be able to collect.
nice arithmetic DGB- you’re a moron. Thanks for the math lesson and letting us know how fortunate his wife is..
Prof. S: I was a Waste Management truck. They have deep pockets.
Not surprised to hear it was a Waste Management truck. My apartment complex switched to Waste Management for its collection recently, and it was a big step down. Dumpsters are less useful than the old company’s (yes, there are design issues with dumpsters) and clearly cheaper. And as Amy says, garbage all over the place. Where I come from, organized crime owns the garbage hauling industry. Time for an investigation?
Nice, a person dies and Amy H is talking about calling the company to complain about blowing trash. First of all, instead of sitting on YOUR rear watching it blow around, get off the couch and go pick it up. Here’s another suggestion for Amy H; before you call to complain, make sure it’s actually coming out of a WM truck, and not your own overfull garbage can, or another garbage truck. Get a life, someone lost theirs yesterday.
My deepest sympathies to the family.
I was one of the many people who was stuck in traffic and all I could think about was how inconvenienced I was. And that I should have left for work earlier. Since I was in the left lane, where the truck was hit, I’m glad I wasn’t. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of this man. No law suit can ever bring your best friend, love of your life and dad back.
The driver was a friend of ours and was a super guy; his family and his work were the priorities in his life and he had a wonderful sense of humor.
We grieve for the loss of a super father, husband, and member of the community. What a senseless and preventable accident.
Waste Management has deep pockets. I say $2 - $3 million - wrongful death.
Most of us guys are worth more dead than alive.
My sympathy to the family. I do wonder, tho, if the victim “normally” took 35E to work, why would his sister call him when she heard of an accident on 35W?
It sounds like an accident to me and nothing more. My husband was a truck driver and they had to check the lug nuts everytime he pre-tripped his truck and tractor. But you cannot make any useful assumptions until the evidence is in.
Ang P, before you vent your unnecessary rage, I HAD done all those things–picked up the garbage, made sure it was their truck (saw it happen several times)!!!
And you MISSED the point of my post, not about garbage blowing around but that I WAS NOT SURPRISED IT WAS A WM TRUCK.
Amy H, calm down… some of us hear you and understand.
