A student struck by a runaway truck tire in Chile is recovering after the bizarre roadside collision left him bloodied and unable to stand.
The 19-year-old victim, who has not been publicly identified, suffered multiple contusions when a loose wheel bounced through an underpass in Santiago and slammed into him last Wednesday, Oct. 29. Local mayor Jaime Bellolio told the press that the young man “is out of serious condition” and that the vehicle responsible for the accident has been identified.
The tire detached from a passing truck as it traveled through the Chilean capital, according to surveillance footage and reports from Chilean news outlet Mega Noticias. The wheel first collided with at least one other vehicle before finding its final target on the sidewalk.
“There was a loud noise, like when one piece of metal hits another,” an eyewitness told Mega Noticias, describing the chaotic moment the tire broke free. The witness added that the victim “had some trouble moving his arm and had a little blood on his head” in the immediate aftermath.
Another bystander who rushed to help described the student’s disoriented state. “Like when you have these dizzy spells. He couldn’t stand up,” the witness said, noting how the impact had left the young man sprawled on the pavement as concerned passersby converged on the scene.
The footage shows the large tire bounding along the roadway with lethal momentum before connecting with the pedestrian, sending him flying and leaving him dazed on the ground. The student lay helpless until help arrived, with witnesses noting his visible injuries and inability to rise unassisted.
Bellolio’s update on the victim’s condition brought relief to a community shaken by the freak accident, which highlighted the potential dangers of mechanical failures on busy urban thoroughfares. The mayor did not provide additional details about the identified vehicle or whether charges would be pursued against its operator.
The incident drew national attention in Chile after the surveillance video circulated widely, prompting renewed discussion about vehicle maintenance standards and road safety protocols in Santiago’s congested transit corridors.
The tire’s trajectory — from truck to secondary vehicle to final human impact — demonstrated how rapidly a single mechanical failure can cascade into multi-party danger in dense city traffic.
The student continues recovering from his injuries as authorities complete their investigation into the circumstances that allowed the wheel to break free.