Four years after the last reported wheel-off incident in Ontario, a Toronto man was killed last week when a set of dual wheels separated from a trailer hauled by American transport company on Hwy. 401 near Whitby, Ont.
Police say John Drysdale "had no chance" when the wheels hopped the center median and struck the windshield of his minivan at about 60 mph.
The trucking company, Smithway Motor Express of Dodge City, Iowa, and its driver have been charged with operating an unsafe vehicle and having a wheel separate, which carries a maximum fine of $50,000. Criminal charges are rarely laid in these circumstances because of the difficulty in proving "blatant disregard" for safety standards.
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating the specific cause of the accident. OPP Staff Sgt. Cam Wooley said the trailer was in generally poor condition, and likely would have been taken off the road if spotted by police prior to the accident.
Representatives of Smithway Motor Express refused to comment when contacted by Today's Trucking.
The driver, Duane Sallo of Minnesota, was charged with failing to maintain a proper logbook and failing to conduct a proper pretrip inspection.
The accident is the first wheel-off-related fatality since the highly publicized deaths of two people in 1996 and 1997. The accidents prompted government to legislate the toughest penalties for wheel-off incidents in North America. The law sets fines up to $50,000 and does not allow owners or operators to rely on due diligence as a standard defense.
Police say John Drysdale "had no chance" when the wheels hopped the center median and struck the windshield of his minivan at about 60 mph.
The trucking company, Smithway Motor Express of Dodge City, Iowa, and its driver have been charged with operating an unsafe vehicle and having a wheel separate, which carries a maximum fine of $50,000. Criminal charges are rarely laid in these circumstances because of the difficulty in proving "blatant disregard" for safety standards.
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating the specific cause of the accident. OPP Staff Sgt. Cam Wooley said the trailer was in generally poor condition, and likely would have been taken off the road if spotted by police prior to the accident.
Representatives of Smithway Motor Express refused to comment when contacted by Today's Trucking.
The driver, Duane Sallo of Minnesota, was charged with failing to maintain a proper logbook and failing to conduct a proper pretrip inspection.
The accident is the first wheel-off-related fatality since the highly publicized deaths of two people in 1996 and 1997. The accidents prompted government to legislate the toughest penalties for wheel-off incidents in North America. The law sets fines up to $50,000 and does not allow owners or operators to rely on due diligence as a standard defense.
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