According to authorities with the New Jersey State Police, a 77-year-old man was killed when a tire detached from another vehicle, striking his vehicle and causing a four-vehicle accident. Reportedly, the accident happened on I-80 near Denville around 7:00 p.m.
Officers indicated that a man was driving a Dodge Ram east on the interstate when one of his truck’s tires detached, flying over the concrete barrier and striking the 77-year-old man’s Audi. Following the impact, the 77-year-old man’s car then crashed into a Ford F-350 that was pulling a trailer as well as a Mercedes. The man’s car then left the roadway, striking a guardrail before reentering the interstate and coming to a rest.
Responding emergency personnel pronounced the man dead at the scene of the accident. His 66-year-old wife, who had been a passenger in the car, was transported to Morristown Medical Center for treatment of injuries deemed non-life threatening. The other drivers were reportedly uninjured in the accident. No charges are pending against any of the drivers at this time. It is unclear what caused the Dodge truck’s tire to detach from the vehicle.
When a person dies in a car accident, determining fault may be an important task. A person who is killed may leave behind family who will suffer significant losses as a result of the death. By filing a wrongful death civil lawsuit, the family might recover damages designed to compensate them for their losses. A personal injury attorney might help by identifying the correct defendants that should be named in the suit.
Source: WABC, “New Jersey man killed, wife hurt when tire detaches from car on I-80,” March 27, 2015