Tractor-trailer blown off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in high winds; driver dies

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The driver of a tractor-trailer that went over the side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) Thursday afternoon died after being rescued. CBBT spokesman Tom Anderson confirmed the driver died when he was on the way to the hospital.

Authorities identified the driver as 47-year-old Joseph Chen, of Greenville, North Carolina. Chen was hauling a load of seafood for Evans Transports, which is based out of Washington, North Carolina.

A relative of Chen’s in Greenville says Chen is a father and husband, WAVY affiliate WITN reports, as well as the founder and president of Turn-N-Burn Motorcycle Club.

The tractor-trailer went into the water on the southbound side of the CBBT at mile marker 15 around 12:30 p.m. Navy spokesman Cmdr. Dave Hecht said a crew with HSE 2 out of Norfolk was in the area training when police called for help. That crew responded in an MH-60 Sierra and pulled the driver out of the water. WAVY’s Erin Kelly tweeted that officials said the driver was standing on top of the vehicle before he was hoisted into the helicopter.

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CBBT officials tweeted Thursday afternoon that the bridge was closed on both sides due to an incident. Both sides of the bridge-tunnel were reopened before 2 p.m.

Bridge officials issued Level 2 wind restrictions Thursday, with winds exceeding 47 mph. There was a Level 1 restriction at the time of the accident.

Under a Level 2 restriction, tractor-trailers must be hauling a gross payload of 30,000 pounds, in addition to the weight of the rig.

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Super Doppler 10 Meteorologist Ashley Baylor says the water temperature was 45 degrees Thursday with a wave height between five and seven feet.

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