Georgia Man Charged in Flying Tire Death
A Georgia man has been charged after one of his tires flew off his vehicle and struck a woman who was walking her dog. The impact of the tire killed the woman. The tire managed to travel at least 300 yards and off of a bridge before striking the woman in the head, sources say. Houston County authorities called the incident a “freak accident”, but that didn’t stop them from charging the man for failing to report an accident with an injury or death. Authorities believe that the man saw what happened and still opted to leave the scene.
Twenty-five-year-old Brian Seth Carmichael will be charged with failing to report the accident. Tragically, the woman who was struck by the tire was only 22 years old.
Analyzing the Timeline
The twenty-two-year-old woman left her home in a nearby trailer park at around 9 p.m. Her family told county police that these walks generally lasted around 15 to 20 minutes. The family was understandably concerned when she didn’t come home. Forty-five minutes later, her dog returned without her leading her family to search the park looking for her. Her fiance found her lying face down in the mud and immediately called 911. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Her neck was broken.
Investigators reported that the crime scene was about 400 yards large. The road is at a higher elevation to the trailer park and the bridge on which the truck was driving is higher still. Deputies caught up with the driver who was about a quarter of a mile down the road. The vehicle was missing one of its tires alongside the entire wheel assembly.
Deputies say that they have reason to believe that the man saw the woman prior to stopping which is why he’s being charged with fleeing the scene of an accident with an injury. However, that will be very difficult to prove in court. The police say that additional charges could follow pending an inspection of the truck, but unless the man placed the wheel and tire on the truck himself, there will be no more charges against him.
This is the second time in 2019 that a flying tire killed someone in Georgia. In the first instance, the tire flew off an 18-wheeler and the driver was charged in that accident too. However, that doesn’t mean that the driver of the pickup truck will be charged in connection with this more recent flying tire accident. Commercial truck drivers are expected to perform routine inspections on their vehicles every 24 hours. Commuters are not.
As tragic as this accident is, it is more likely that whoever serviced the car is responsible for the death. However, it’s also possible that a failure to keep the tires or wheels in roadworthy condition contributed to the death.
Talk to a Defective Tire Accident Attorney Today
If you’ve been injured in an accident related to the performance of a tire, the Coral Gables tire defect attorneys at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert can help you file a lawsuit against the manufacturer, the tire service company, or whoever else may have contributed negligence to your injuries. Talk to us today to set up a free consultation.
Resource:
ajc.com/news/crime–law/middle-georgia-man-charged-after-tire-flies-off-vehicle-kills-woman-walking-dog/TsBoIl3K7w2NSksrURYQzJ/
https://www.tiredefectattorney.com/two-children-die-in-tire-blowout-accident/
