A trucker's body was pulled from the Chesapeake Bay about 1:00 p.m. Friday, nine hours after a tractor trailer plunged off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
Late Friday afternoon, authorities confirmed it was that of Howard Hannah, 51, of Salisbury, MD, who worked for Pepsi of Delmarva.
Coast Guard officials told 13News that Hannah had picked up a load of Pepsi at the plant in Newport News and was on his way to the Eastern Shore as part of his regular route. He was alone in the rig, the Coast Guard added.
The accident happened about 3:40 a.m. on the northbound trestle just south of Fisherman’s Island. About 240 feet of guard rail was ripped from the span when the three-axle, 10-wheel truck went over.
The tunnel police chief told 13News Hannah may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Lorraine Smith, spokesperson for the Bridge-Tunnel, said that a motorist reported seeing a fireball at the scene of the crash. Initial results of the investigation indicated the truck went up on curb and took out 240 feet of guardrail before going over.
Some guard rail had been replaced by mid-afternoon, but tunnel officials said the right hand lane in that area will remain closed until Sunday for repairs.
A dive team from Virginia Beach, along with Coast Guard helicopters and vessels from Cape Charles and Little Creek, searched the area for hours. They hoped to find Hannah alive because the water temperature was about 40 degrees. The Coast Guard said it was possible for someone to survie up to 10 hours.
Rescuers used computer software to calculate where the driver might be based on wind speed and currents. 13News Meteorologist Craig Moeller said the waves had "calmed down considerably" which would assist the search and recovery efforts. Moeller said the water temperature in Chesapeake Bay is 41 degrees.
Crews also were using a sonar device from Gloucester to help in the search.
And Crofton Dive Company told 13News it used "side scan sonar" to search the scene and locate the truck. They found it and ruled out the questions about other cars going off the bridge.
The company also told 13News that its divers and recovery crews will return to the site on Saturday to pull the truck out of the water.
Pepsi sales manager Fred Tull said Hannah has worked at Pepsi for five years and that he drove from Salisbury to Newport News and back again four or five times a week.
Tull called him a great employee.
"Our prayers are with the family ... We have only 300 employees so we are all very close to everyone," Tull said.
Bridge Tunnel Sergeant Don Walters says that large numbers of Pepsi bottles had washed up on the beach at Fisherman Island.
