New Castle, Delaware — A tragic accident happened early Friday morning when a truck drove off the Delaware Memorial Bridge and fell into the Delaware River. The driver, who was the only person in the truck, sadly died in the crash. His body was recovered the next day.
What Happened
The crash happened around 3:40 a.m. on Friday. The truck, which was just the front cab without a trailer, was going south on the bridge. For some reason, it swerved across multiple lanes, hit a concrete barrier, and went over the side of the bridge, falling about 20 feet into the river.
There were no other vehicles involved, and officials still aren’t sure why the truck left the roadway.
Rescue and Recovery
Emergency crews, including divers from the Delaware State Police, U.S. Coast Guard, and local fire departments, rushed to the scene. They started looking for the driver right away, but the river’s strong tides made it too dangerous to continue on Friday afternoon.
The search picked up again on Saturday morning. Around 6 a.m., rescue teams returned with special equipment, including a crane and barge from a nearby bridge project. By 11:10 a.m., they were able to pull the truck cab out of the water.
Inside, they found the body of the male driver. He was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to the Delaware Medical Examiner’s Office to confirm his identity and cause of death.
Who Was the Driver?
Officials have not released the driver’s name yet, as they are still working to notify his family. He was alone in the truck at the time of the crash, and no one else was hurt.
People who witnessed the crash or saw the rescue efforts described the scene as heartbreaking. One commuter said, “I cross that bridge every day. It’s scary to think something like this could happen out of nowhere.”
Investigation Ongoing
Police are now trying to figure out what caused the crash. They are looking at traffic camera videos, checking if there was a mechanical problem with the truck, and considering whether the driver might have had a medical emergency.
They also plan to inspect the bridge’s guardrails to see if stronger barriers are needed to prevent this from happening again.
A Sad Reminder
This accident has raised safety concerns for people who drive over the bridge every day. Some drivers said they now feel nervous crossing it, while others expressed sadness for the truck driver and his family.
Officials say they’ll continue their investigation and share more details soon. For now, they are focused on learning what went wrong—and how to keep it from happening again.
