Dozens of drivers in a Sacramento suburb are dealing with damaged and flat tires after hundreds of screws were found scattered over a highway overpass.
The city of Elk Grove received numerous reports Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning of damaged tires from the loose screws, KCRA reported.
The city’s police department received a call and sent officers to the area, but those dispatched reported that traffic was flowing normally.
One driver who’s been forced to pay up for the damage said that when she visited a tire shop, she found at least 45 people ahead of her, potentially dealing with the same damage.
“I took it in to America’s Tire, found out I had 27 screws and needed two tires,” Justice Rose told KCRA.
A nearby Les Schwab tire shop said it saw a surge in customers seeking repairs, reaching 60 flat-tire repairs in a day compared to an average of 20 to 30, a manager told the outlet.
The city’s Public Works department inspected the Highway 99 overpass but did not find any evidence, though KCRA reported finding screws in the area.
A local man later revealed that he stepped in to clear out most of the screws, showing hundreds covering a magnet he used.
“I was darting in and out of the lanes to get the screws out of there,” the man, David Irons, told the outlet. “I did that about three or four or five times of just, like, covered the entire surface area of the magnet and then start over.”
It’s unclear how the screws ended up on the road.
The state Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining the Highway 99 overpass and said affected drivers can file a claim for reimbursement.
Drivers should provide as much information as possible, including photos, receipts and the exact location and time of the incident, the department said.
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