A 63-year-old man is in critical condition after a wheel flew off another car on the Grand Central Parkway and smashed into his vehicle yesterday.
The incident happened at around 2 p.m. near the Cross Island Parkway in Queens. The loose wheel came off a Mazda Tribute in the westbound lane. It flew over the median and struck the passenger-side window of a silver Toyota SUV in the eastbound lane. The 63-year-old passenger suffered head trauma and was taken to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. The driver of the Toyota, a 62-year-old man, was also taken to North Shore University Hospital and treated for a shoulder injury.
A 27-year-old woman was behind the wheel of the Mazda, and her 15-month-old daughter was in the car with her. They were also taken to the hospital but were uninjured, according to police. A tow truck driver told ABC 7 the errant tire was missing two lug nuts, which likely accounted for the incident. “That’s insane. That’s like the worst nightmare I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s like something from the movies. It’s crazy,” witness Guy Benshetrit told CBS 2.
The accident snarled traffic for several hours, bleeding into rush hour.
