VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia, – The driver’s wife who died after her truck crashed into the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Tuesday morning remembers him as a wonderful husband, father and friend.
Erik Mezick left his home in Fruitland, Maryland, around 10 p.m. Monday, according to his 25-year-old wife, Megan.
The 47-year-old boarded his Cloverland Greenspring Dairy truck, ready to deliver dairy products to Cape Charles and Virginia Beach. It was a 130-mile journey, a job he had only had since March, WTKR reported.
Returning north, the family world turned around in a matter of seconds.
Mezick was driving north around 8:20 a.m., when his truck passed through the guard railing of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and entered the bay near Mile Marker 14.
The U.S. Coast Guard said witnesses told them Mezick was starting to drift west after climbing or falling from the taxi, into the cold 45-degree bay.
Virginia Beach Fire, Virginia Beach Police and Virginia Beach EMS began working together with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Authority in search of Mezick in the water.
The search by air and bay lasted for hours for the man who loved scooters, swimming, collecting and caring for his 94-year-old grandmother.
At dusk, Mezick’s search was suspended after an intense 178-mile exploration of the bay by countless authorities.
Mezick is survived by his beloved wife and two children, Dylan, 18, and Hannah, 16.
“I can’t say anything more than such an amazing man, father, husband and friend. Anyone who knew him loved him from the beginning, left an impression on so many,” Mezick’s wife told WTKR , Meghan.
CBBT police are still investigating the incident. Crofton Diving, outside Portsmouth, is working to try to retrieve the truck Mezick was driving from the bay.
“Everyone’s thoughts and prayers at the CBBT are with Mr. Mezick’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” said Jeff Holland, CBBT executive director.
“We would like to extend our condolences to this individual’s family and friends during this time of tragedy,” said Captain Samson Stevens, commander of Virginia’s Coast Guard sector. and dedication to coordinating efforts and searching throughout the day with our crews. “