NHTSA Complaint #11024869 — 2000 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS

ON AUGUST 22, 2017, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON I-55 NEAR LITCHFIELD, ILLINOIS. A SEMI TRUCK OWNED BY ARNOLD JAMES KNAGGS OF CARSONVILLE, MICHIGAN, WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND. AT APPROXIMATELY NOON ON THAT DATE, TWO WHEELS DETACHED FROM THAT TRUCK. ONE WHEEL CAME TO REST IN THE WIDE GRASSY MEDIAN; THE OTHER WHEEL BARRELED ACROSS THE MEDIAN AND STRUCK THE MINIVAN IN WHICH MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRAVELING. ALL WINDOWS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHATTERED AND THE SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR WAS RIPPED OFF THE VEHICLE. HE VAN WAS TOTALED. IF MY HUSBAND HAD NOT TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION AT THE LAST SECOND, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. THE ILLINOIS TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT CITES PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK TIRES AND NOTES THAT VEHICLE CONDITION WAS THE PRIMARY CONTRIBUTORY CAUSE OF THE CRASH. THE DRIVER WAS CITED FOR DRIVING WITH A SUSPENDED CDL AND FOR DRIVING A TRUCK WITH LOOSE OR MISSING WHEEL BOLTS. THE QUESTION 'DID MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS (MCS) VIOLATION CONTRIBUTE TO THE CRASH?' WAS ANSWERED 'YES' BY THE STATE TROOPER ON THE SCENE.