CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- The driver killed in the crash that closed Interstate 95 in Richmond, Virginia on Wednesday afternoon was "one of the good ones."
Brent Szarzynski, 36, of Chesterfield County, was killed Wednesday when an I-beam being hauled by another truck hit an I-95 overpass, then hit the septic truck Brent was driving. The impact triggered an explosion, police said.
"Brent was a devoted father, husband, son, and friend," his family said in a statement. "He was always able to find the light and humor in any situation, always able to make others laugh. His laugh was contagious. He was very proud of his children and always put his wife and kids first, just a genuinely good person who put everyone before himself."
Szarzynski was a father to three boys, ages 10, eight, and one month.
After his wife and children, Szarzynski loved football and found joy in coaching both his children and others.
"He was a servant. The Bible says that the greatest among you is a servant and he was that," pastor and Old Hundred Athletic Association founder Richard Duncan said. "He would serve, he would bring the water jug out here. He would just do whatever it took. And it wasn't always about a win. It was about developing our boys. And not only developing on the football field but also off the football field."
Duncan shared a recent memory where Szarzynski informed him he'd have to miss football practice.
"I said, 'why what's going on? He said, 'my wife, we're having a baby.' I said,' Oh, Miss practice, bro!' Duncan said. "He did miss a practice. But he said, 'I want to come to the game.' I said, 'No, no, the team got it.' Brent was at the game. He was at the game, not only on time, but he was at the game early. That's what Brent was about."
A GoFundMe was set up to help the Szarzynski family during this difficult time.
"We're also collecting gift cards [and doing] different things to help the family out. Our coaches are already stepping up doing yard work and different things like that," Duncan said."We're not going to let Brent die in our hearts, He will always always be in our hearts."
The Virginia State Police investigation into the I-95 crash remains ongoing.
"In the world that we live in, he was one of the good ones," Duncan said. "To have one of the good ones go, it's hard. It's hard."
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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