Ontario man killed by wheels mourned - Action News
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Ontario man killed by wheels mourned

Jason Eligh, 24, was killed while driving on Highway 401 when wheels flew off a tractor trailer and over a barrier. His father wants answers.

Ontario man mourned

13 years ago
Duration 2:49
Father wants trucks to be safer after wheels killed his son.

An Eastern Ontario father wants accountability after his sonwas killed when a pair of wheels fell off a tractor trailer and crashed into his car.

Jason Eligh, pictured with one of his children, was killed when wheels flew off a tractor trailer Sunday. (CBC)

Ontario Provincial Police are stillinvestigating the death of Jason Eligh, 24, from Mallorytown, Ont., about 130 southwest of Ottawa.

Police say Eligh was driving eastbound on Highway 401 just west of Brockville Sunday evening when a westbound tractor trailer lost "a rear dual wheel set" from its trailer. The wheel set crossed over the concrete barrier separating the lanes and struck his vehicle.

Eligh, a resident of Mallorytown, Ont., was the lone occupant of the car.

2nd time man faced loose trailer tires

His father, Larry Eligh, said this is the second time his son has encountered a loose wheel on that highway. The father and son were in a vehicle together about one decade ago when they barely escaped death.

"For him to be taken like that is just not right," Eligh said, "Somebody's got to be held accountable for something like this."

Larry Eligh wants the tractor trailer company or the province to act to start making the large vehicles safer on the roads. (CBC)

The wheel set continued on, striking another vehicle before bouncing back over the concrete barrier and into the westbound lanes and finally stopping in a ditch.

The trailer was found about 100 kilometres from the accident by OPP officers.

Leeds County OPP and OPP traffic collision experts continue to investigate the collision.

"In this day and age, for something like that to happen to anyone, no matter who it is, there's got to be safeguards put in somewhere," Eligh said.

"He [Jason] leaves two children behind and that's what we're concerned about now."

Jason Eligh's funeral will be Saturday in Brockville.