Thomas Ingram was driving with his son Justin Ingram when a loose tire from a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction flew off and hit their windshield last week, killing the 37-year-old passenger. Still processing grief and shock, Thomas says, “It’s unbelievable. It’s like a nightmare.” He adds that he is traumatized by what he saw. ”Sometimes I jump straight out of bed. The accident happens again and again and again.” In 1967, Thomas started his St-Lambert upholstery company; his sons Andrew and Justin worked with him for years. Justin’s life and career were tragically cut short; through tears, his father says, “He was 37, right in the best part of his life, and he was our baby. He lived at home with us.” The Sûreté du Québec investigation is ongoing, but Thomas worries that a loose tire came off because it was badly installed. “A runaway tire. Right through the windshield,” he said. He cautions drivers who are putting on their winter tires. “People should be more aware and more careful. Doing your own tire changes, double-check and make sure the rims that are rims for the car,” he said. Mechanic Martin Ferland of Wallace Garage says it is important to have the job done correctly. “We have the proper tools to tighten the wheels and not overtighten the wheels, too. Somebody can have a flat, and they can’t even take off their wheel because it’s too tight. It’s better to do it at a garage,” Ferland said. The SQ confirms that both vehicles involved in this accident are being looked at. Thomas says, “The investigation is going to prove all the stuff that is going on and not going to bring my son back. But it might save somebody else’s life.” And that’s why he is speaking out. The family will hold a funeral for Justin this mid-November. “The children are supposed to bury the parents, not the parents bury their children. That’s what the hardest part is,” says the grieving father.
