A man driving a 2019 Ford F-250 pickup crashed into a building at High Desert Self Storage in Lake Pine, Ore., last Thursday night after his right-front tire separated from the wheel on U.S. Route 97. The 73-year-old continued driving on the metal hub for a substantial distance, grinding it down to the studs, according to Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

After exiting the highway at approximately 9:45 p.m., the driver lost control of the truck when he hit the gas instead of the brake. The vehicle then crashed through a chain-link fence and slammed into the front of two drive-up storage units, according to the source. An employee of the storage facility called 911.

The damage to the exterior of the units was substantial. Since it was unsafe to enter the building, it was unknown if the contents were affected, Vander Kamp said. The pickup had moderate damage, and no one was injured.

The man was hired to drive the truck from a dealership in Grants Pass, Ore., to one in Bend, Ore., where it was expected to be sold the next day. The accident is under investigation, but detectives don’t believe alcohol or drugs were involved. A citation wasn’t issued, but police recommended the man’s license be evaluated by the department of motor vehicles.

Source:
KTVZ, Bend Man Drives on Wheel Without Tire, Crashes Into La Pine Storage Units