How did this happen? Truck wheel kills innocent bystander

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) - Some people may be wondering how an entire wheel could suddenly falls off a truck.

This comes after a woman was found dead when a wheel with the tire still attached allegedly came off a semi-trailer and hit the woman.

70-year-old Treva Ward was discovered on Monday on Highway 33.

The Ada County Coroner’s Office found several traumatic injuries on Ward’s body after doing an autopsy.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office indicated Ward was near her home when a wheel suddenly came off a semi-trailer and hit her.

The truck driver came back to the scene after learning of the lost tire.

Local News 8 spoke with a truck driver, who was not involved with the accident, to learn what may have caused the semi-trailer wheel to come off.

“To me, it sounds like a maintenance issue, possibly...somebody not properly doing a pre-trip inspection,” said truck driver John Sullivan. "You do a check prior to driving, you do a check usually in the middle of your trip for the day, and then you do another check when you're done with your check for the day."

Mechanics said accidents like this might still happen even if all maintenance protocols are followed.

Local News 8 will keep provide updates as this investigation progresses.