Forest Lake native killed by flying tires at highway rest stop in Mississippi

March 08, 2019 03:57 PM

Authorities say a Tulane University student from Forest Lake was killed at an Interstate 10 rest stop in Mississippi Tuesday when two tires came loose from a passing tractor-trailer and struck her.

News outlets report officials with the New Orleans school have identified the student as 21-year-old Margaret Maurer.

Gautier police say the tractor-trailer was traveling westbound when it lost the wheels, which then crossed the eastbound lanes and entered the rest stop.

Mauer's mother Tracy told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS it was the first spring break trip her daughter has taken.

"It's absolutely a random freaky thing," she said. "It's not right. There's so much that's wrong about this. It's just random. I really want to be angry at somebody, but I can't be.

"It just happened."

According to AAA, two-thirds of the deaths in debris-related crashes are the result of items falling from a vehicle.

Authorities say Maurer and two friends were about to get back into their vehicle when the tires hit her and two cars. The rest stop was closed while the death was investigated. It's unclear what caused the tractor-trailer's tires to come loose.

Gautier lies just west of Pascagoula on the Mississippi coast.

A GoFundMe account has been set up for the victim.