Wind sweeps truck off Chesapeake Bay Bridge; driver dies

Updated Feb 10, 2017
Section of the Chesapeake bay Bridge Tunnel where a tractor-trailer was blown off by high winds Thursday.Section of the Chesapeake bay Bridge Tunnel where a tractor-trailer was blown off by high winds Thursday.

A trucker died after the rig he was driving went off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9.

The driver has been identified as Joseph Chen, 47, of Greenville, North Carolina.

A CBBT official told the media the tractor-trailer went over the side and into the water at the 15-mile marker while southbound near the Eastern Shore side of the tunnel. A helicopter from the Norfolk Naval Station rescued Chen from the top of his trailer that was in the water, but media reports say he died on the way to the hospital.

Winds were reported at 40 mph at the time of the crash, which closed the bridge for about two hours.

The CBBT spokesperson said one lane on the southbound side of the span would remain closed for at least a day as workers repair the damage.