Trucker Escapes Injury After Semi Loses Wheel On I-90

State troopers restricted westbound freeway traffic to one lane near the downtown area Saturday morning after a semi-truck lost a wheel and skidded to a stop.

Raul Trevino was traveling west along Interstate 90 about 5 a.m. when the left front wheel broke off the semi-truck he was driving, said Joe Stapleton, a Spokane Fire Department battalion chief.

The crippled truck skidded along the freeway on its axle and fuel tank, and spilled about 100 gallons of diesel fuel over three lanes of the freeway, Stapleton said. The truck slid about a quarter mile and came to rest at the Hamilton Street exit.

Trevino was not injured.

Meanwhile, the wayward wheel bounced over a concrete median, crossed five lanes of freeway traffic, broke through a chain-link fence and came to a stop in a yard at Third Avenue and Magnolia Street.

Troopers reopened the lanes about 7 a.m.

, DataTimes