Police Officer Dies in Single-Car Tire Blowout Crash
Yes, tire blowouts are dangerous, even potentially fatal. A Miccosukee police officer lost his life after his cruiser suffered a tire blowout on Interstate 75. Officer Horacio Sebastian Dominguez lost control of his police cruiser after the rear tire blew. The cruiser rolled over several times before coming to a stop on a median. Dominguez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Dominguez was a former Marine who had recently retired as a staff sergeant with the National Guard. Dominguez then joined the police force. He left behind a wife and young daughter.
No Other Vehicles Involved
The crash was a single-car crash and the reason for the tire blowout is not immediately known. However, police officers are not generally responsible for servicing their own vehicles or ensuring the safe operation of these vehicles. Inspections should be performed on a routine basis to ensure that tires are not low or there aren’t other safety concerns with the vehicle.
In this case, the tire will provide the best evidence as to how the blowout occurred. Generally speaking, Florida Highway Patrol conducts investigations into these types of accidents. The tire will become the star witness in their final report.
Why Did the Tire Blow?
We can’t say for certain how the tire blew, but there are a number of likely possibilities. These include:
- Poor maintenance – If your tire gauge says your tire is underinflated or overinflated, you should believe it and act immediately. While tires should be able to withstand underinflation, over time, it places pressure on the treads and sidewall. This can cause enough damage to the tire itself to cause a blowout. Old tires or bald tires also increase the risk of a tire blowout.
- Bad tire – Telemetry from the vehicle should tell us whether or not the tire was over- or under-inflated at the time of the accident. While an overinflated tire may be cause to place the blame solely on the driver, modern tires should be able to withstand minor underinflation. Manufacturers in the sidewall or the treads can make a tire a timebomb. The tire itself can be used as evidence that the defect was the fault of the manufacturer.
- Road debris – It happens sometimes that a pothole or other road debris causes a tire blowout. If that’s the case, it will be obvious because there will be a puncture in the tire itself. Logistically, when this happens it can be very difficult to hold anyone responsible for the accident unless you can trace the road debris back to a specific vehicle.
Talk to a Florida Defective Tire Attorney
Tires aren’t supposed to blow out at random. When that happens, it is often the result of a manufacturing defect in the tire. In those cases, a lawsuit can be filed against the manufacturer. If they are at-fault for manufacturing a defective tire, then you can recover damages related to your injuries. Call the Coral Gables tire defect attorneys at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert today to schedule a free consultation and allow us to begin investigating your accident.
Resource:
wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/miccosukee-police-officer-killed-in-i-75-crash-in-collier-county/
https://www.tiredefectattorney.com/safety-watchdogs-call-on-biden-to-overhaul-the-nhtsa/
