This story smells.
There would have been a hell of a vibration and noise coming from any wheel, especially the front steering, loosening-up and ready to come off.
Anyone with a brain would have stopped and not ‘careened’ off the road.
I don't know about that. In the 80s, my girlfriend took her car in to have the tires balanced and rotated. After they were done, she drove off and got miles down the road on the highway when her right front tire came off. Luckily, she was in the right lane and did not freak out, so she was able to get to the side of the highway. She told me that the first warning she had was the "clunk" of the right front end when it hit the road. She initially thought her tire had blown up- until she saw the tire rolling down the highway. Needless to say, the tire dealership "made it right."
Actually if he took off at speed the vibration would not be that bad, not until he slowed down. I happen to know from experience.