Tragedy on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: How Perdue’s Negligence Cost Ronnie Andrews His Life

A Preventable Disaster Unfolds on Virginia’s Most Dangerous Bridge

The morning of February 15, 2026, began like any other for Ronnie Andrews. The 61-year-old Perdue truck driver was hauling a load of chicken from the company’s processing plant in Accomac, Virginia, to the Charlotte area. He had spoken with his wife Lovie the night before—was in good spirits, showed no signs of fatigue, and had no concerns about the trip ahead. He was familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT), having driven it countless times before.

But by 6:40 a.m., Ronnie’s life would end in a violent crash that sent his Perdue tractor-trailer plunging through the southbound guardrail and into the bay below. His body was recovered Sunday evening, but the questions surrounding his death—and Perdue’s role in it—will linger far longer.

At Attorney911, we’ve seen this tragedy unfold too many times. Trucking companies like Perdue prioritize profits over safety, pushing drivers beyond their limits and cutting corners on maintenance. When those decisions lead to fatal crashes, families like the Andrews deserve justice. This is the story of what happened, why it happened, and how we can help prevent the next tragedy.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: A Known Danger Zone

A History of Tragedy

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) is one of the most dangerous stretches of road in the United States. Stretching 23 miles across the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, it combines bridges, tunnels, and artificial islands to connect Virginia’s Eastern Shore with the mainland. For truck drivers, it presents unique challenges:

• Narrow lanes and tight curves: The CBBT was designed in the 1960s, long before modern trucking safety standards. Its lanes are narrower than those on most interstates, and its curves are sharper.
• High winds and open water: The bridge is exposed to the elements, with strong crosswinds that can destabilize high-profile trucks.
• Limited escape routes: Unlike a typical highway, there are no shoulders or emergency pull-offs for most of the CBBT’s length. If a truck loses control, there’s nowhere to go.
• Steep grades: The bridge features significant inclines and declines, particularly near the tunnel entrances. These grades put additional strain on brakes and can lead to runaway trucks.

This isn’t the first time a trucker has died on the CBBT. The last fatal guardrail crash occurred in December 2020, when Erik Mezick, a box truck driver for a Maryland-based dairy, crashed through the guardrail. His body wasn’t found until April of the following year—100 miles away on the Outer Banks.

Why Guardrail Failures Are So Deadly

Guardrails are designed to prevent vehicles from leaving the roadway, but they’re not foolproof—especially for large trucks. When a guardrail fails:

• Underride risk: The truck’s trailer can slide under the guardrail, shearing off the cab and killing the driver.
• Plunge risk: If the guardrail doesn’t hold, the truck can fall from the bridge, often with fatal consequences.
• Secondary crashes: A failed guardrail can send debris onto the roadway, causing multi-vehicle pileups.

In Ronnie’s case, the guardrail failed to contain his truck, allowing it to plunge into the bay. This raises serious questions about the guardrail’s design, maintenance, and whether it met federal safety standards.

Lane Restrictions and Repairs: A Recipe for Disaster?

At the time of Ronnie’s crash, lane restrictions were in place, and repairs were underway by Monday afternoon. This suggests that the CBBT was already aware of potential hazards on the bridge—yet Ronnie’s truck still crashed through the guardrail.

Key questions:

• Were the lane restrictions adequate to protect drivers?
• Were warning signs properly placed to alert drivers to the hazards?
• Were repairs being conducted in a timely manner, or had the CBBT deferred maintenance to save costs?
• Did the lane restrictions contribute to the crash by forcing trucks into tighter spaces with less margin for error?

At Attorney911, we’ve handled cases where deferred maintenance and inadequate signage contributed to fatal crashes. When infrastructure owners fail to act, they put lives at risk—and they must be held accountable.

The Role of the Second Perdue Truck

Lovie Andrews’ revelation that Ronnie was following another Perdue truck raises critical questions about Perdue’s operations:

Were Both Drivers Under Similar Pressures?

If both trucks were dispatched on the same route with tight schedules, it suggests Perdue may have been pushing its drivers to their limits. This could indicate a systemic issue within the company’s dispatch practices.

Is There a Pattern of Safety Violations?

At Attorney911, we’ve seen cases where one truck in a fleet is involved in a crash, only to discover that other trucks in the same fleet share the same safety violations. For example:

• In a 2021 case, we represented a family whose loved one was killed by a Walmart truck. Our investigation revealed that Walmart had a pattern of pressuring drivers to violate hours-of-service regulations.
• In a 2023 case, we represented a client injured by an Amazon delivery truck. Our investigation uncovered that Amazon’s dispatch system routinely assigned unrealistic delivery windows, leading to speeding and fatigue.

If Perdue has a history of safety violations, this could support a claim for punitive damages—additional compensation designed to punish the company for reckless behavior.

Could the Second Driver Have Witnessed the Crash?

While CBBT officials stated that the second driver was “a minute or two ahead” and did not witness the event, this doesn’t rule out the possibility that they could provide valuable information. For example:

• Did the second driver notice anything unusual about Ronnie’s truck (e.g., smoke, wobbling, brake issues)?
• Did the second driver experience similar challenges on the route (e.g., strong winds, poor visibility)?
• Did the second driver receive similar dispatch instructions from Perdue?

At Attorney911, we leave no stone unturned. We would subpoena the second driver’s records, interview them under oath, and determine whether they have information that could shed light on the crash.

The Human Cost: Lovie Andrews’ Loss

A Life Cut Short

Ronnie Andrews was more than just a truck driver—he was a husband, a family man, and a pillar of his community. Lovie described him as outgoing and loving, someone who “loved people” but was often gone for entire weekends due to his work.

“It’s tough when your husband is gone on your days off,” Lovie said. She works weekdays as a teaching assistant in their hometown of Robersonville, North Carolina, near Greenville. Ronnie’s schedule meant they spent too little time together, a sacrifice many trucking families make.

The Financial Impact

Truck drivers like Ronnie are often the primary breadwinners for their families. His death leaves Lovie without his income, benefits, and the financial security they had built together. In wrongful death cases, families can recover:

• Lost future income: The wages Ronnie would have earned had he lived.
• Loss of consortium: The companionship, care, and guidance Lovie has lost.
• Funeral and burial expenses: The costs of laying Ronnie to rest.
• Pain and suffering: The emotional trauma of losing a loved one.

The Emotional Toll

Losing a spouse in a preventable crash is a trauma that never fully heals. Lovie will carry the pain of Ronnie’s death for the rest of her life. In wrongful death cases, juries often award significant damages for mental anguish—the emotional suffering caused by the loss.

How Attorney911 Can Help

Our Experience with Trucking Cases

At Attorney911, we’ve been fighting for trucking accident victims for over 25 years. Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, has secured multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements against some of the largest trucking companies in the country, including Walmart, Amazon, FedEx, and UPS.

Our team includes Lupe Peña, a former insurance defense attorney who knows exactly how trucking companies and their insurers operate. He spent years working for a national defense firm, learning their tactics for minimizing claims. Now, he uses that insider knowledge to fight for victims like Lovie Andrews.

Our Approach to Trucking Cases

When we take on a trucking case, we leave no stone unturned. Our investigation includes:

1. Immediate Evidence Preservation
   – We send spoliation letters within 24-48 hours to preserve ECM/black box data, ELD records, and maintenance logs.
   – We secure the truck and trailer before they can be repaired or destroyed.

2. Comprehensive Investigation
   – We subpoena the driver’s qualification file, hours-of-service records, and maintenance logs.
   – We analyze ECM and ELD data to determine speed, braking, and fatigue.
   – We interview witnesses and inspect the crash scene.

3. Expert Analysis
   – We work with accident reconstruction experts to determine how the crash occurred.
   – We consult medical experts to document the full extent of injuries.
   – We retain vocational experts to calculate lost earning capacity.

4. Aggressive Litigation
   – We file lawsuits against all liable parties, including the trucking company, driver, cargo loaders, and manufacturers.
   – We take depositions of key witnesses, including the driver, dispatchers, and safety managers.
   – We prepare every case as if it’s going to trial, creating leverage for maximum settlements.

Why Choose Attorney911?

1. We’re Trucking Specialists
   – We focus exclusively on trucking cases, giving us deep expertise in FMCSA regulations, industry practices, and jury trends.

2. We Have Insider Knowledge
   – Lupe Peña’s background as an insurance defense attorney gives us an edge. He knows how trucking companies evaluate claims—and how to counter their tactics.

3. We Fight for Maximum Compensation
   – We’ve recovered millions for trucking accident victims, including multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements.

4. We’re Local
   – With offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we know Texas’s highways, courts, and juries. While this case occurred in Virginia, the same dangers exist on Texas’s roads, and we’re ready to fight for victims here.

5. We Work on Contingency
   – You pay nothing unless we win. We advance all costs of investigation and litigation, so you can focus on healing.

The Bigger Picture: Preventing the Next Tragedy

Ronnie Andrews’ death was preventable. If Perdue had:

• Hired qualified drivers
• Trained them properly
• Monitored their hours of service
• Maintained their trucks in safe condition
• Avoided pressuring drivers to meet unrealistic schedules

He might still be alive today.

But Perdue isn’t the only company cutting corners. Across the trucking industry, companies prioritize profits over safety, putting drivers and the public at risk. That’s why we fight so hard for victims like Lovie Andrews—because every verdict sends a message that negligence has consequences.

How You Can Help

If you drive on Texas’s highways, you share the road with thousands of trucks every day. Here’s how you can stay safe:

1. Give Trucks Space
   – Trucks have large blind spots. If you can’t see the driver’s mirrors, they can’t see you.

2. Avoid the “No-Zone”
   – Never linger in a truck’s blind spots, especially on the right side and directly behind the trailer.

3. Don’t Cut Off Trucks
   – Trucks need much more distance to stop. Never merge in front of a truck and then slow down.

4. Be Cautious in Work Zones
   – Trucks often slow down or change lanes in work zones. Give them extra space.

5. Report Unsafe Trucks
   – If you see a truck with unsafe equipment (e.g., bald tires, broken lights), report it to the FMCSA at https://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Additional Resources

Learn more about trucking accidents and your rights:

• The Victim’s Guide to 18-Wheeler Accident Injuries
• Can I Sue for Being Hit by a Semi Truck?
• The Definitive Guide To Commercial Truck Accidents
• What Should You Not Say to an Insurance Adjuster?

If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident, call Attorney911 now at 1-888-ATTY-911. We answer 24/7.