U.S. Man Killed After Wheel Detaches From Truck on QEW in Niagara
A tragic incident on the **Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW)** in **Niagara**, **Ontario**, has resulted in the death of a 53-year-old man. According to police reports, a wheel detached from a truck and struck his vehicle on Tuesday. The incident also involved another vehicle and caused significant highway closures.
Details of the Collision
The collision occurred at approximately 11:45 a.m. in the Fort Erie-bound lanes of the **QEW**, east of Niagara Street in **St. Catharines**, Ontario. The detached wheel from a pickup truck traveled into the Toronto-bound lanes and impacted two vehicles. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Const. Rob Tihor confirmed the details via X (formerly Twitter).
The **OPP** reported that both lanes of the highway were closed for investigation. The Fort Erie bound lanes reopened around 6 p.m., and the Toronto bound lanes were expected to reopen by 6:30 p.m.
Casualties and Injuries
The driver of one of the vehicles, a 53-year-old man from the **United States**, was pronounced dead at the scene. A 52-year-old male passenger in the same vehicle was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, as stated by police on Twitter.
Following the initial impact, the detached wheel reportedly bounced over the highway barrier and into the city of **St. Catharines**. There were no reported injuries to the driver of the truck that lost the wheel.
Charges Laid Against Truck Driver
The driver of the pickup truck, identified as a 33-year-old man from **Niagara Falls, N.Y.**, has been charged. The charges are "Detached part and operating an unsafe vehicle," as confirmed by police later in the day. The **OPP** continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
