Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Runaway Truck Tire Kills Bystander In Colorado

Improperly tightened lug nuts are suspected in a fatal Colorado accident where a tire came off a tractor-trailer and killed a ma

by Staff
August 22, 2001
1 min to read


Improperly tightened lug nuts are suspected in a fatal Colorado accident where a tire came off a tractor-trailer and killed a man
standing next to an interstate connector ramp.
According to published reports, the victim had been in a minor accident on the ramp connecting southbound Interstate 270 with eastbound I-70 in Denver and had pulled off to the side. He was talking to a police officer when the wheel hit the man and killed him.
The wheel was one of two that came off a Graebel Van Lines moving truck headed south on I-270, according to The Denver Post. The driver didn't realize it until another trucker flagged him down.
Allen Powers, Graebel senior vice president for safety, told the Post that the probable culprit was lug nuts not properly tightened after a safety inspection at Arvada Diesel in Denver. "I don't think there is anything we could have done to prevent it," Powers told the paper. "This is an extremely unusual situation."

More Safety & Compliance

Graphic illustrating court verdicts with money and a cracked windshield with a gavel in the background

$604 Million Verdict Tests Broker Liability After Supreme Court Ruling

C.H. Robinson plans to appeal after a Texas jury found it bore the largest share of responsibility for a fatal 2021 crash, in a case that follows the Supreme Court's Montgomery decision allowing negligent hiring claims against freight brokers.

Read More →
Line of gray semi trucks with Fraley & Schilling logo
Safety & ComplianceJuly 15, 2026

How Fraley & Schilling Improved Logbook Compliance by Over 50%

Fraley & Schilling needed a way to close a compliance workflow gap in its ELD system without adding more work from driver training, reminders, and back-office follow-ups. It found the answer in a custom driver app.

Read More →
Man standing beside tractor-trailer in sepia tone with the words "Farewell CDL" superimposed on top
Driversby Jack RobertsJuly 1, 2026

Farewell, CDL: Why I'm Giving Up My Commercial Driver's License

After more than 20 years as a CDL holder, HDT Executive Editor Jack Roberts is letting his commercial license expire. Not because he wants to — but because trucking's nuclear verdict crisis has made the risks of public-road test drives too great for editors, manufacturers, and everyone involved.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
thermo king heavy duty trucking
SponsoredJuly 1, 2026

Enhance Fleet Performance with High-Efficiency Auxiliary Power Units

Drive sustainable cost savings while increasing driver comfort during short- and long-haul logistics operations.

Read More →
Maintenanceby Deborah LockridgeJune 23, 2026

Wabash Trailers Recalled for Improperly Installed Underride Guards

More than 900 Wabash dry van trailers may not comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for rear impact guards.

Read More →
YouTube thumbnail with photo of K&B's Lance Evans with truck in the background and the words, Trucking's AI Wake-Up Call

Why K&B Trucking Is Embracing AI and Driver Safety Technology

Crunching data and embracing artificial intelligence are key in K&B Trucking's safety efforts, says the company's safety director.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
The Cyber Stop header showing an enforcement officer talking to a truck driver and a screen shot of the FMCSA's revoked ELDs list
Safety & Complianceby Ben WilkensJune 19, 2026

The Hidden Problem Behind FMCSA's ELD Revocations

NMFTA researchers say dozens of registered ELDs may be built on the same software platforms, allowing compliance and security concerns to persist even after individual devices are removed from the market.

Read More →
Illustration of inside truck cab with dashcam on window, definition of research, and ATRI logo

ATRI Wants Motor Carriers for Driver-Facing Camera Study

In this new study, the American Transportation Research Institute will explore how driver-facing cameras can impact safety and operational metrics in trucking fleets.

Read More →
Man seated in front of computer with inset of insights generated for a truck driver

Netradyne Intelligence Uses New AI Agents to Automate Response to In-Cab Camera Data

The company called the next-generation in-cab camera safety platform "a fundamental shift from systems that report on what happened to systems that actively drive what should happen next."

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Maintenanceby Deborah LockridgeJune 15, 2026

Mack, Volvo Issue ‘Do Not Drive’ Recall on Possible Wheel-Offs

Owners will be sent advance notice not to operate their affected vehicles until the remedy is performed.

Read More →