WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A Williamsburg family is without a wife, mother and grandmother, after a tragic accident on their way to a family outing.
53-year-old Tammy Parsons was driving her family to Busch Gardens for Howl-O-Scream, a family friend told 13News Now.
But in a split second, that family trip, turned into a tragedy.
Virginia State Police say at 12:20 p.m. Sunday, on I-64 in York County, the tire of a Jeep traveling in the opposite direction came loose.
The tire crossed into the eastbound lanes near the Camp Perry exit and crashed into Parson’s windshield.
Police say she died on the scene, but the rest of her family walked away unharmed.
According to this GoFundMe page started by a family friend, Parsons was very involved with her children, grandchildren, and Williamsburg Hornets cheer and football.
VSP said speed and alcohol were not factors in the crash. They say an investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.
As for what caused the tire to come loose, it’s unclear.
But Gary Mugavero, a Hampton Roads mechanic, said it could have been caused by a handful of things, including loose lug nuts.
"You’re supposed to hand torque them after your tire is put back on the car. Another thing that can happened, but doesn’t happen often down here is aluminum wheels onto a steel hub, there will be aluminum corrosion and that will build up over time and you can put your tire back on, but it won't seat properly and that corrosion will work through and that tire will loosen," Mugavero said.
He also emphasized how important it is to get your car inspected every year on time.
"State inspections are real important. At least they are taking your tires off, they’re inspecting all of your safety equipment, making sure everything is safe and retightening your tires properly," Mugavero said.
Again, that investigation is ongoing to find out what caused the tire to come loose and no charges have been filed yet.