Charges Laid In Wheel Off Incident

(MIDDLESEX COUNTY, ON) – On July 14, 2016, at approximately 6:55 a.m., the Middlesex County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the City of London Fire Department, and the Middlesex London Emergency Medical Services (EMS), responded to a motor vehicle collision on Highway 401, between Highbury Avenue, and Old Victoria Road, in the City of London, Ontario.

A black Chevrolet pickup truck, hauling a flatbed trailer loaded with a scissor lift, was travelling on Highway 401 westbound, west of Old Victoria Road, when the front driver’s side wheel separated from the trailer, and rolled into traffic. The wheel travelled westbound, over the centre median, into the eastbound lanes of Highway 401.

A silver Chrysler car was travelling in the inside lane of Highway 401 eastbound, east of Highbury Avenue, west of Old Victoria Road. The car swerved to avoid the errant wheel, and spun 360 degrees on wet pavement, resulting in the passenger side of the car striking the front driver’s side of a transport trailer, which was also travelling eastbound on Highway 401.

The driver of the car, a 32-year-old male from London, Ontario, was transported by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries to hospital, were he remains. The vehicle came to rest against the centre median of Highway 401 eastbound.

The driver of the transport trailer, a 49-year-old male from Central Elgin, Ontario, was uninjured. The vehicle came to rest on the south shoulder of Highway 401 eastbound.

The driver of the pickup truck and trailer, a 24-year-old male from Dundas, Ontario, was uninjured. The vehicle stopped on the north shoulder of Highway 401 westbound. As a result of the police investigation, he has been charged with:

Operate unsafe vehicle – commercial motor vehicle, contrary to the Highway Traffic Act (HTA), section 84

Wheel separation – commercial motor vehicle, contrary to HTA, section 84.1(1)

Operate vehicle – fail to display device X2, contrary to HTA, section 85(1)

Fail to surrender insurance card, contrary to the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act (CAIA), section 3(1)

The errant wheel came to rest against the centre median on the eastbound side of Highway 401, without striking a vehicle. It was recovered at the scene.

Both the inside and outside lanes of Highway 401 eastbound were alternately closed for vehicle removal, but soon resumed to normal traffic flow.

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