Victim In Route 128 Crash Identified

LEXINGTON, MA - Police have identified the man killed in a crash on Rte. 128 Tuesday afternoon caused by a tire coming off a truck and striking a vehicle traveling on the opposite side of the highway.

Massachusetts State Police identified the victim Wednesday morning as Charles Hu, 26, of Lexington.

The accident occurred just after 1 p.m. Tuesday on Rte. 128 at Exit 31 on the Lexington/Burlington line.

When state police troopers arrived at the scene of the crash at approximately 1:15 p.m., they determined a wheel came loose from a pickup truck that was traveling on the other side of the highway and crossed the median, striking the northbound car.

Police say a 1997 Dodge Ram pickup was traveling southbound when its left rear wheel came off the axle. The wheel flew over the Jersey barrier median, bounced off one northbound vehicle, and then struck a second northbound vehicle, a 2009 Toyota Camry operated by Hu.

First responders found Hu dead at the scene. The tire impacted that vehicle in the area of the windshield and roof. The disabled Dodge Ram came to a stop in the southbound left lane, just south of Exit 31.

The other vehicle the tire struck was driven by a 50-year-old Braintree man, who was not injured.

Police said the preliminary investigation indicated the Ram was being driven by a 19-year-old woman. They announced Wednesday she was from Amesbury.

No charges have been filed.

Just before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, police announced that Route 128 had been cleared.

Patch will continue to bring you more information as it becomes available.