Jerry Ander often took I-35E to work. But for some reason, after leaving his Burnsville home early Friday morning, he drove north on I-35W.
That decision cost Ander his life. Police say a tire that came loose from a garbage truck smashed the roof and windshield of Ander's pickup truck.
Ander's sister, Carol Wooten, read about the accident on the internet and called to check on her brother.
"I called his cell phone and left him a message saying, 'hey, are you okay?'" Wooten said. "I wanted to see if he was caught in traffic or anything. And he was already dead at that point, but I didn't know."
The tire had bounced over onto Ander's truck as he was driving north on I-35W near the 46th St. exit. The tire was one of two that had come loose from a Waste Management truck travelling south on I-35W.
"It started when the lugnuts came loose," said Sgt. Ken Drevnick of the Minnesota State Patrol.
Investigators want to know how and when those lugnuts came loose. They are looking over inspection records filled out by the truck's driver, 42-year old Floyd Brunson. Brunson, an employee for 11 years, was required by federal law to inspect his truck every day.
Authorities say this type of accident is rare, but it is very similar to an accident that took the life of 57-year-old Charles LaChance almost three years ago.
LaChance was heading north toward downtown Minneapolis on I-35W when a truck tire bounced into his lane, crushing the roof and windshield of his vehicle.
Ander worked as a supervisor at a property management company.
He leaves behind a wife, four children, and several grandchildren.
A memorial fund has been set up for Jerry Ander at Western Bank. The address is 2711 NE Highway 10, Moundsview, 55112. The telephone number is 651-290-7866.
(Copyright 2008 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)
