The Glowski’s car was extensively damaged in the accident
A NEW Ross family had a very lucky escape when a wheel from a passing lorry struck their car – causing extensive damage to the vehicle – on the main road between New Ross and Waterford.
Przemyslaw Glowsi was driving towards Waterford with his wife and two children on Tuesday when their car was struck by “a flying wheel” about a mile before the Rhu Glen Country Club in Slieverue.
The couple, who live in New Ross, were travelling to Waterford to do some shopping when the accident occurred.
Speaking to the Echo about the incident Mr. Glowski said the weather was bad at the time.
“There was heavy rain and bad road conditions,” he said.
“More-or-less a mile before the Rhu Glen Hotel I just saw a flying wheel [coming] in my direction,” he added.
Mr. Glowski said there was nothing he could do to avoid the wheel: “It took about two seconds and then it hit my car.”
He immediately stopped at the side of the road and when the couple got out they found the front driver’s side of the vehicle badly damaged.
“It happened at 11.45 a.m. and when I stopped the car we got the smell of burned engine oil or other liquids which were just running away from the car,” said Mr. Glowski.
The couple’s young children got a big fright and were crying.
“Parts of my car were everywhere around; even on the other side of road,” he said.
Passersby stopped to give assistance to the stricken family.
“At the same time when I rang for the Gardai a man in a van stopped to secure the place and other people stopped to ask if everything was ok,” said Mr. Glowski.
“A witness said that it was a wheel from the track driving from the Waterford direction towards New Ross [that hit the car],” he added.
After 10 minutes searching Mr. Glowski found the wheel around 50m away from his car on the opposite side of the road.
Gardai from Thomastown Garda Station arrived at the scene and seized the wheel.
The driver of the truck from which it’s alleged the wheel came off didn’t stop and Mr. Glowski is appealing for the driver to come forward.
“He may not have even known that an accident had occurred,” he told the Echo.
“It was a big lorry and it’s possible he didn’t even feel it when the wheel came off the trailer,” he added.
Mr. Glowski’s father-in-law arrived at the scene and brought his wife and children home and a recovery vehicle brought the damaged car away.
The following day Mr. Glowski and his brother-in-law began searching for signs of the lorry and got still photos from a CCTV camera in a business operating near where the accident occurred.
According to Mr. Glowski the photos show the vehicle from which he believes the wheel fell off.
According to the CCTV footage the truck passed the business at 11.49 – four minutes after the accident occurred.
Gardai in Thomastown confirmed to the Echo that the matter is under investigation. A spokesperson there said that it’s “very possible” the driver of the lorry didn’t realise what had happened.
If anyone has any information about the accident they are asked to contact Thomastown Garda Station on 056-7754150 or New Ross Garda Station on 051-421204.
All information forwarded will be treated in strict confidence.
Mr. Glowski’s car was written off in the accident, however, as he said to the Echo it could have been much worse.
“Thank God no-one was killed and my wife and children were ok,” he said.
“The car can be replaced but people cannot.”
