A GPS mishap caused a truck to lose a large load of metal balls, which rolled down a steep hill and pummeled cars in Seattle, Washington, yesterday.
The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. October 17, according to Kiro 7.
NEW VIDEO: This is why @SeattlePD has shut down 30th Ave SW and SW Genessee. Truck carrying metal balls loses its load, sending the two pound balls tumbling down hill. #KOMONews pic.twitter.com/zjxuY1UAfE
— Morgan Chesky (@BreakingChesky) October 18, 2018
Seattle police say that truck driver Robert Herman had recently been loaded up with 44,000 pounds of industrial grinding balls weighing two pounds each. Herman said that he took a wrong turn and was rerouted by GPS up a steep section of SW Genesee Street.
Resident Matt Sexton described the scene as the truck lost its load: “Came to a halt and spinning its tires. And then it decided to reverse out, gained a lot of speed and when he hit the brakes the back end busted open.”
Truck is gone — SW Genesee Street still closed as city finishes cleaning up.
LIVE 11p on @KIRO7Seattle w/ new video a family took from inside their car as it was pelted by the metal balls, their windshield cracked.
On TV or📲 https://t.co/NyrmuY3h0n pic.twitter.com/4kCjRJvXa5
— Michael Spears (@MichaelKIRO7) October 18, 2018
The metal balls fell out of the truck and bounced down the roadway, damaging six vehicles. No injuries were reported.
Police say that Herman was charged with failure to secure his load. Herman said that he was grateful that the balls did not come loose on the highway.
JUST IN: a truck carrying 2-lb metal balls loses its load, sending the balls downhill, hitting cars along the way. Genesee is closed fr Avalon Way to Delridge. We're working to find out what happened, and what the metal balls are for. More on @KIRO7Seattle . pic.twitter.com/oEtr6X8vhH
— KIRO 7 (@KIRO7Seattle) October 18, 2018
A portion of SW Genesse Street was shut down for hours while crews cleaned up the metal balls.
Hundreds of heavy "steel grinding balls" blow out the back of a truck on a steep hill in West Seattle. #KOMONews pic.twitter.com/bVpNKtdEf6
— Eric Jensen (@EricJensenTV) October 18, 2018
“I'm looking back and then I see all these balls and I said "Holy S***!" – the driver of this semi-truck that lost hundreds of steel balls in West Seattle. #komonews pic.twitter.com/7F5IMqODcb
— Patrick Quinn (@PatrickQuinnTV) October 18, 2018