Dead Driver IDed After Semi-Truck Plummets Off Delaware Memorial Bridge

PENNSVILLE TOWNSHIP, NJ — The driver who died in Friday's crash that sent a semi-truck off the Delaware Memorial Bridge was identified on Monday.

Zair Murzakov, 35, of Brooklyn, drove the Bobtail Tractor that crashed through the bridge's side barrier and fell into the Delaware River early Friday.

His body and the vehicle were recovered on Saturday.

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A GoFundMe campaign, written in Russian, was established last weekend to help transport Murzakov's remains to his home country. The online fundraiser has generated more than $17,000 as of this writing.

The semi-truck is registered to an entity called XFR8 LLC, officials said. The trucking company is based out of West Chester, Ohio, according to federal records.

Patch called the company's listed number but did not get a response.

The one-vehicle crash happened around 3:40 a.m. Friday, when Murzakov was taking the Delaware Memorial Bridge from South Jersey to Delaware. The semi-truck crossed three lanes of traffic, onto the concrete pad near the Delaware anchorage, and crashed into the concrete wall, officials said.

The wall collapsed, and the vehicle careened into the Delaware River.

About six hours later, search parties found the vehicle 20 feet beneath the surface. On Friday evening, officials paused recovery efforts because of the shifting tides but said the driver was presumed dead.

Engineering teams used a crane and barge to recover the vehicle and Murzakov's body the next morning.

The Delaware River & Bay Authority's police department is investigating the crash.

The bridge links Pennsville Township, New Jersey, and New Castle County, Delaware.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.