Winnipeg trucker, company facing charges after driver drove without wheels

Ontario Provincial Police have charged a Winnipeg truck driver and the company he drives for after he was spotted on Highway 17 just outside of Kenora without a full set of wheels on his tractor-trailer.

OPP said Tuesday the incident took place on Feb. 10 just before 11 p.m. in the MacNicol Township, east of Kenora.

OPP said the 28-year-old male driver was missing a full set of rear-axle tires, and was charged with failing to ensure daily inspection report was accurately completed, driving a commercial motor vehicle with major defect in it or in drawn vehicle, and wheel separation.

The company, which the OPP did not name, is also charged with wheel separation.

“While it may sound surprising, this is not something you want to discover while driving behind it at highway speed,” a Facebook post by the OPP said. “Each of these tire assemblies can weigh over 1,000 pounds. When they come off a commercial vehicle, they become an extremely serious hazard and can cause significant damage to property, vehicles, or result in serious injury or loss of life.”

Erin McCrea, regional media and communications advisor with the OPP told the Free Press on Tuesday that it’s important to report these incidents.

“Calling it in could prevent a serious collision or save a life,” she said.