NHTSA Complaint #10222439 — 2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER

I WAS RETURNING FROM BEAUFORT, SC WITH MY NIECE'S 1 YR AND 2 YR OLD CHILDREN. MY NIECE IS IN THE MILITARY AND I WAS BRINGING THE KIDS BACK TO STAY WITH MY SISTER, THEIR GRANDMOTHER, FOR A MONTH. OUTSIDE OF ATLANTA ON I75 AT 1:00 AM I HEARD A HUGE BANG AND THE FRONT RIGHT OF MY CAR FLEW INTO THE AIR. I HAD ANOTHER NIECE, WHO WAS 3 MONTHS PREGNANT, WITH ME WHO WAS RIDING IN THE FRONT SEAT. WHEN THE CAR FLEW UP SHE FLEW UP AND HIT THE ROOF OF THE CAR. LUCKILY SHE HAD HER SEAT BELT ON OR SHE MIGHT HAVE BROKEN HER NECK. MY NIECE SAW THAT I WAS TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF THE CAR AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW TO SEE IF ANY VEHICLES WERE NEAR SO WE COULD GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO VEHICLES WERE AROUND SO WE MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY NIECE WALKED BACK DOWN THE HIGHWAY TO SEE IF SHE COULD FIND WHAT WE HAD RAN OVER. WHEN AN OFFICER CAME TO HELP CHANGE THE TIRE TO THE SPARE HE SHOWED ME IT WAS NOT A FLAT TIRE BUT THAT MY RIM HAD EXPLODED. THE OFFICER CHANGED THE TIRE, FOLLOWED US TO MAKE SURE THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE THEN LEFT US TO DRIVE BACK TO CHAMPAIGN, IL. THE EXPLODING RIM CAUSED THE RADIATOR RACK, RIGHT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, RIM, TIRE, TO BE FIXED. THEN THE CAR HAD TO BE ALIGNED. LUCKILY MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAFECO, PAID FOR EVERYTHING BUT MY $500 DEDUCTIBLE. I STILL HAVE THE RIM SITTING IN MY KITCHEN IN CASE ANYONE WANTED TO EXAMINE IT. *TR