4 injured in rollover crash after replacement tire fails

BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) — Four teenage boys were injured in a rollover crash in Kitsap County after the replacement tire blew out on the car they were in, Washington state authorities said.

The 16-year-old driver lost control of the Honda SUV after striking a cable barrier Monday along State Route 3 north of Bremerton, the Kitsap Sun reported Tuesday.

The car rolled over multiple times before coming to rest on its side, blocking lanes and alternating traffic for an hour near Sherman Hill Road, authorities said.

The crash was caused by the failed spare tire, Washington State Patrol officers said. The rear seat belts in the car also failed after being frayed by an animal chewing on them, officers said.

One 14-year-old passenger was ejected and flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. The other two 14-year-old passengers and the 16-year-old driver were treated at the scene.

The driver was cited for operating a vehicle with defective equipment, authorities said.