SMITHFIELD – A husband and wife were driving westbound on US 70 Business, near the Johnston County Airport, Monday evening when a loose wheel and tire suddenly smashed into their windshield.
The loose wheel assembly appeared to be a spare tire from a pickup truck. The spare tire may have fallen off of the cable, which normally holds it in place under the back of the truck. A witness said the pickup driver was likely unaware of what had happened.
The driver of the small Chevrolet immediately lost control of the car as it traveled off the right side of US 70 and slammed into a power pole, where it overturned and struck the porch of a nearby home.
The car ended up back on its wheels with the injured front seat occupants both trapped in the vehicle. Their teenage daughter was in the back seat. All three were transported to Wake Med.
Wilson’s Mill firefighters were forced to remove the passenger’s door to extricate the victims.
The loose tire and wheel were located in the grass on the far side of the highway with windshield glass embedded in the tire tread.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol investigated the 8:00pm accident.
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This story has been updated
Kenny Rogers… if you get it, you get it.
You picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel.
You get it.