Man killed after vehicle hit by loose wheel on Highway 401 in Scarborough

A 24-year-old man is dead after his vehicle was hit by a loose wheel on Highway 401 in Scarborough.

OPP say the wheel came off a flatbed trailer being towed by a westbound pickup truck before 8 a.m. Wednesday.

The wheel entered the eastbound lanes between Markham Rd. and McCowan Rd. and hit the 24-year-old man’s windshield.

A video from OPP shows one axle on the trailer is missing several wheel studs and a bearing cap.

Update: fatal wheel separation collision on #Hwy401 near Markham Rd https://t.co/XKdYPlyvnl

— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) August 12, 2020

“This really highlights the importance of doing those pre-trip inspections, doing those circle checks as a commercial driver,” said Acting OPP Sgt. Dan Hunter.

“You’ve got to do those checks everyday.”

Investigators say they’re speaking with the driver of the pickup truck.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or anyone with dashcam footage to reach out to investigators.