Virginia Injury Lawyer Blog

Carrollton man dies in James River Bridge crash

William David Fox of Carrollton died Thursday when his car crashed on the James River Bridge between Suffolk and Newport News.

Fox, 58, was headed south on the bridge when his car flipped over and struck a concrete barrier, The Daily Press reported.

Fox was a native of Albany, N.Y., according to his obituary published in The Virginian-Pilot. An economics graduate of Ohio Wesleyan College, he was a purchasing agent for American GFM and more recently worked for Electric Motor & Contracting Co. Inc. and Wartsila Defense Inc.

Authorities told the newspaper that the southbound James River Bridge lanes were closed for about two hours. The crash happened at about 2:09 p.m., WAVY-TV reported.

The James River Bridge, a four-lane divided highway over the James River, is 4.5 miles long. When it was finished in 1928, it was the longest bridge over water in the world. It was subsequently replaced with a four-lane version.

While the replacement James River Bridge is a relatively modern structure, it lacks many safety features found on modern roadways. There are no shoulders on most of the bridge, nor are there turnouts or other spaces for disabled vehicles to pull off the road.

The James River Bridge is often one of the first bridges in Hampton Roads to close in the event of severe weather. During the nor’easter earlier this month, the bridge was closed for days until the storm passed and storm tides abated. The Daily Press reported that standing water on the bridge forced the closure.

Labels: Carrollton James River Bridge Newport News route 17 Suffolk William David Fox William Fox