MdTA Investigates Fatal Bay Bridge Accident
KENT ISLAND, Md. (WJZ) -- A man was thrown off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and died after an unusual car crash.
Kelly McPherson has more on the investigation and the Maryland man who died.
A bizarre car accident on the Bay Bridge Monday morning pushed Harry Blauvelt, 70, over the edge and into the Chesapeake Bay. The 52.5 foot fall killed the former sports journalist, who had retired on Kent Island.
"Harry just loved stories, whether it was a scoop or not. He loved the good stories and he chased the good stories," said Reid Cherner.
His former USA Today editor and friend describes him as passionate and colorful.
"When I was Harry's editor, Tiger had a streak in which he never won a major unless Harry was in attendance. It was amazing. We would joke about it. There were a couple of tournaments he couldn't get to---a British Open or something like that -- and Tiger never won. And the next major Harry attended, Tiger would win," Cherner said.
Blauvelt had car trouble while driving east. He stopped his Honda Accord in the travel lane and got out. Minutes later, a truck ran into the Honda, pushing it into Blauvelt, who went over the edge.
Investigators will not talk on camera about what Blauvelt or the truck driver--64-year-old Enos Hutton Sage-- or shouldn't have done, but driving instructor Georgena Ewing says you should never get out of your car on a bridge. She points out that the truck driver also may have been driving too close to avoid the collision.
"You could be doing everything correctly on the side of the road, away from traffic but if other people aren't paying attention or they aren't following far enough behind, you don't have the space. You don't have the time," Ewing said.
Lani Schumacher was driving directly behind the truck.
"I think he saw it and tried to avoid it and as he tried to get around it, he probably hit the end of it and as soon as he hit it, the car spun around and his truck went into the side of the bridge," she said.
An MdTA boat pulled Blauvelt out of the water. Police say the truck driver is cooperating in the investigation.
"It took him a few seconds to get out. He immediately ran to the car and the next thing I know, he looked over both sides of the bridge," Schumacher said.
The former reporter leaves behind his wife.
"Harry was a man of great passion and once he latched on to something, it was all or nothing," Cherner said.
MdTA is still piecing together what happened on the bridge. They recommend if you have car trouble, typically--but not in all cases--you should stay in the car, put on flashers and call for help.
Two other people were pulled out of the water in separate incidents within six hours of this car accident. One of them also died.
