Chesapeake Bay Bridge Scene of Fatal Accident

Eighteen-Wheeler Plunges into Bay, Kills Driver

There was a three-vehicle crash on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge killing one and leaving two others seriously injured. One vehicle, an eighteen-wheeler went over the side of the bridge killing the driver.

John-John Williams IV, a Baltimore Sun reporter writes in his article "Truck plunges off Bay Bridge; one dead in morning crash" that in addition to the driver's death, there were two other people riding in a Chevrolet Camero who were seriously injured and air-lifted to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center where they were listed in serious but stable condition.

As Williams goes on to report, the driver of the third car, a Toyota Prius was not injured. The accident occurred about 3:55 a.m.

The driver's body was recovered from Chesapeake Bay.

There is a problem with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge right now. There is stereotypical summer repair work being done so there is only the westbound lane open with two-way traffic.

From all accounts the truck driver hit the jersey wall and tumbled into the bay. It isn't clear how the other cars even became involved in the crash. The driver's body was recovered at 5:40 a.m.

The accident tied up traffic for up to two hours.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge has been called one of the "Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World". The bridge-tunnel is 20 miles long and primarily was designed to connect Southeastern Virginia with Eastern shore counties in Maryland and Virginia. In addition to shaving a lot of time on a trip to Southern Virginia, it has become a tourist attraction. At least during the last 15 years, no vehicle had gone into the bay.

I would make two observations. First, near my city, there is a center for semi truckers who want to quit the business. I often was taken to that locale on business and had a chance to talk with some of them. There were stories of being left out on the road for months at a time and being under the gun to push and make deliveries on time even though they legally were only allowed to drive ten hours at a time.