Police ID man who died after pickup submerged in Norfolk

NORFOLK

Police released today the identity of the man who died Friday after his pickup submerged in Little Creek Marina as 44-year-old Hoyt Barger of Chesapeake.

Officials are still working to determine Barger’s cause of death, said Officer Chris Amos, a police spokesman. According to a preliminary investigation, he had an underlying medical condition that contributed, he said.

A rescuer pulled Barger from a pickup that went underwater at the marina on Friday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

Barger drove into the water about 2:10 p.m., said Battalion Chief Harry Worley of Norfolk Fire-Rescue. Witnesses reported seeing him wearing a seat belt when he went in.

"According to witnesses, he came through the parking lot, went over the curb, and then went out and landed between two of the piers at Little Creek Marina," Worley said. "And then it flooded for a little bit and then sunk."

Mike Weyrauch, a firefighter at Station 13, arrived on the station's boat from Willoughby Harbor Marina. A small rescue boat had located the pickup, but rescuers could not reach Barger, Weyrauch said.

Weyrauch, wearing a wet suit and mask, went underwater with a tool to cut the seat belt, then brought Barger to the surface.

Barger was pulled from the car about 2:45 p.m. The pickup was sitting on the bottom, about 10 feet down, and was filled with water.

Before firefighters arrived, at least two people at the marina went in the water to try to save him but were not able to help, officials said.

It was not clear why he drove into the water. "We do know the individual had some medically related history that at this point we believe may have played into the accident," Amos said. A medical examiner will investigate.

Pilot writer Kathy Adams contributed to this report.

Patrick Wilson, (757) 446-2957, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com