A truck driver died following a single-vehicle crash on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
Local reports said the crash happened around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, near the North Channel Bridge on the southbound span, just south of Fisherman Island.
After crashing into the bridge, the tractor-trailer went over the west side of the bridge and into the water below.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge officials have identified Ronnie Andrews, 61, of Robersonville, N.C., as the driver of the Perdue Farms truck involved in the crash.
“We are heartbroken to confirm that a Perdue driver died following an accident on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge‑Tunnel,” Perdue Farms said in a statement to WTKR-TV. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. He had been a valued member of our team, and his loss will be deeply felt across our organization.”
Officials said the weather was not a factor in the crash that remains under investigation.
Perdue Farms said it is cooperating fully with authorities as they continue their investigation.
“The thoughts and prayers of everyone at CBBT are with the family, loved ones and fellow employees of Mr. Andrews during this difficult time,” Jeff Holland, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, said in a statement.
Since a 2021 The Virginian-Pilot report that 16 over-the-side crashes on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel have occurred, there have been two additional crashes that resulted in trucks crashing into the bay, one in 2023 and the latest on Feb. 15.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel spans nearly 18 miles, connecting Hampton Roads to Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
As many as 4 million drivers cross the bridge, which opened in 1952, annually. LL
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