Dash cam: Unsecured appliance falls off truck, nearly hits state trooper on I-94

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Minnesota state trooper had a close call last October when an unsecured appliance fell off the back of a pickup truck on Interstate 94 in St. Cloud and nearly struck their squad car. 

No one was injured in the incident, but the driver of the pickup, a 55-year-old Rogers man, pleaded guilty to having an unsecured load and paid $147 in fines and court fees, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. 

In Minnesota, it is the law to make sure items are properly secured. Since July 1, 2017, state troopers have issued 1,692 citations and warnings to both passenger and commercial vehicles for unsecured loads, State Patrol spokesperson Lt. Gordon Shank said.

The State Patrol recommends that if a load cannot be covered, it should be tied down with straps that can ratchet and will not slip. 

A few years ago, the FOX 9 Investigators took a test drive on the driving track at the Minnesota Highway Safety and Research Center in St. Cloud and discovered that, even at relatively low speeds, improperly secured items will easily come loose. 

The State Patrol also recommends that giving any vehicle with a load attached plenty of distance because you never know if the items are properly secured.