Loose wheel from truck crashes head-on into SUV on B.C. highway

DELTA, B.C. — Police say an elderly woman has been taken to hospital after a wheel that came off a moving truck’s axle crashed into her SUV on a British Columbia highway.

BC Highway Patrol says the crash happened just before 11 a.m. on a stretch of Highway 1 in Chilliwack, where an eastbound dump truck saw two of its wheels come loose from one of its axles as it was driving.

Police say one of the loose wheels then crossed the highway into the westbound lanes, where it hit the SUV head-on.

The female driver was taken to hospital as a precaution, while the 60-year-old male driver of the dump truck was not hurt.

Police say the Delta, B.C.-based truck driver has been charged with making a false or deceptive pre-trip statement and driving a truck that is not in compliance with the Motor Vehicle Act, with a combined fine of about $700.

The company operating the truck has also been ordered to conduct a complete inspection and repair on the vehicle at its own expense.

“This was completely preventable with a proper pre-trip inspection,” Cpl. Michael McLaughlin says in a written statement. “BC Highway Patrol has a low tolerance for commercial vehicles that are not properly maintained.”

Police say neither impairment nor distraction were likely factors in the crash.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2024.