A terrifying piece of tire rubber turned into a deadly missile on a busy Santiago sidewalk, and a college kid walking to class never saw it coming.
Dramatic security-cam footage from Providencia’s Avenida Los Leones shows the exact second a wheel broke free from a northbound car Thursday morning, Oct. 29, bounced off two other vehicles, then launched itself onto the pavement like a cannonball and slammed into a 19-year-old university student.
The young man, dressed in dark clothes and carrying a backpack, was strolling past trees and street signs when the loose tire suddenly appeared from the roadway and hit him broadside. He was sent flying and crumpled to the tiled sidewalk in a heap as bystanders rushed over.
Municipal emergency crews from the 1414 line arrived within minutes and administered first aid. The victim’s father later drove him to Clínica Santa María, where doctors treated wounds to his forehead and chest. Officials confirmed the injuries were not life-threatening.
The driver of the car that lost the wheel was later tracked down. He told authorities the vehicle had just come out of a mechanic’s shop two days earlier, pointing the finger at a possible botched installation of the lug nuts.
Local TV stations in Chile quickly aired the hair-raising clip, and the video has now exploded online, with viewers calling it one of the most freakish sidewalk disasters caught on camera in years.
A note on comments: Our advertisers enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy on racism, hate speech, and threats of violence. Any comment that crosses that line will be removed and the account permanently banned — no warnings. Debate hard, but keep it civil.
A note on comments: Our advertisers enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy on racism, hate speech, and threats of violence. Any comment that crosses that line will be removed and the account permanently banned — no warnings. Debate hard, but keep it civil.