A Kenyan man living in the United States has died in a shocking highway accident in North Carolina after a loose tyre from another vehicle flew across lanes and smashed into his car. Bernard Wanjohi Kamara, 55, was a respected figure in the Kenyan diaspora community and is being mourned deeply following the freak incident.
According to authorities in Raleigh, the accident occurred along Interstate 440 (I-440). Kamara was driving his Toyota Rav4 when a left front tyre detached from a 2013 Volkswagen Passat travelling on the opposite side. The tyre bounced across the bridge, vaulted over multiple lanes, and crossed the median barrier before crashing directly into Kamara’s car. He died instantly at the scene.
The driver of the Volkswagen, 28-year-old Tyree Bryant McKinnie, was later arrested. Police said he is facing charges including involuntary manslaughter, driving without a licence, and operating a vehicle with expired registration. Court documents show that McKinnie has a history of driving without a valid licence dating back to 2019. Investigators spent hours at the scene trying to understand what caused the tyre to detach and the chain of events that followed.
Kamara, fondly known as Brother Wanjohi, was a prominent leader within the Kenya Christian Fellowship in America (KCFA). He served as Director of the Men’s Department, sat on the National Executive Board, and was a long-standing member of the KCFA Triangle Chapter in North Carolina. He was widely admired for mentoring newly arrived Kenyans, organising cultural programmes, and fostering unity within the community.
KCFA President Patricia Njanga announced his passing with deep sorrow, urging members to support his grieving wife, Jane, and their children during this painful period. Tributes continue to pour in for Kamara, remembered for his humility, leadership, and unwavering commitment to helping others.
