Truck with 3 wheels hits parked cars in downtown Orlando, driver cited: OPD

Truck sparks chaos in downtown Orlando, driver cited: OPD

A wild scene unfolded in downtown Orlando early Saturday when a truck was caught on camera barreling through the city streets ? missing a front wheel ? before crashing into multiple parked vehicles.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A wild scene unfolded in downtown Orlando early Saturday when a truck was caught on camera barreling through the city streets — apparently missing a front wheel — before crashing into multiple parked vehicles, according to officials.

What we know:

A wild crash unfolded early Saturday morning in downtown Orlando when a Ford F-150 was seen driving on three wheels, throwing off sparks as it barreled down Robinson Street. 

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. and was caught on camera by bystanders. According to Orlando police, the truck struck several parked cars before the driver fled the scene. 

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The vehicle was later recovered at a nearby apartment complex. The suspected driver was identified and cited for leaving the scene of an accident. Authorities say the driver was not under the influence at the time.

What we don't know:

Police have not released the identity of the driver publicly. It's unclear why the driver was operating a truck in such a dangerous condition or how long the vehicle had been missing a front wheel. There has also been no word on whether the driver may face additional charges or be held liable for damages to the multiple vehicles hit.

The backstory:

Residents and visitors in downtown Orlando were stunned by the spectacle, which quickly went viral on social media. Cell phone video shows the truck grinding down the street, trailing sparks and scraping metal. Bystanders initially treated the situation as bizarre or humorous until the extent of the damage became clear.

What they're saying:

Cell phone video of the incident, shared widely on social media, shows a Ford F-150 scraping along Robinson Street around 2 a.m., throwing off sparks as it travels on just three wheels. 

"You hear a lot of stories about Orlando,"  said Austin Avery, who recorded video that quickly went viral on TikTok and Instagram. "But seeing stuff like that in person is kinda weird."

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The truck was later located at an apartment complex less than 800 feet from the crash site. Hunter McConnell said her car was among several damaged during the incident.

"It was four or five other cars and then mine — mine was the only one that got pushed completely into the middle of the street," she said. 

She and others were questioning how it managed to go unnoticed as it was happening.

"As soon as something unsafe is happening, like no one’s there to respond," McConnell said. "And this guy doesn’t even get pulled over? Like, that’s mind-blowing."

What's next:

Orlando police said the driver had been criminally cited for leaving the scene of a crash.