Detached Wheel Kills Driver on I-680 in Alamo

A fatal accident occurred on Interstate 680 near Alamo on Thursday afternoon when a rear left wheel detached from a northbound Ford van, crossed the center divider, and struck the windshield of a southbound Toyota Tundra, killing its 61-year-old driver, Fernando Ruiz Horta of San Jose. The incident happened around 1:35 p.m. near Stone Valley Road, and Ruiz Horta was pronounced dead at the scene as the sole occupant of his vehicle. The van’s driver and passenger were uninjured and are cooperating with the ongoing investigation, with authorities stating DUI is not suspected. Legal experts have said that the van’s driver could face misdemeanor manslaughter charges if poor vehicle maintenance caused the wheel’s detachment. The crash led to temporary closures of both northbound and southbound lanes, all of which reopened by late afternoon. The California Highway Patrol is seeking additional witnesses to determine the cause of the wheel’s detachment.