Confirmed Incident Overview
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Date & Location: The fatal crash occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. on August 18, 2025, along the eastbound I‑44 (Will Rogers Turnpike) near mile marker 315 in Ottawa County, close to Miami, Oklahoma. 2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa
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Victim: An employee of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) was killed. While initial publicly available reports did not name the individual, your mention identifies him as Zac Rinehart, Heavy Equipment Operator II. KOCO2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa
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Incident Details: According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, two OTA workers were involved. One was inside an OTA vehicle, while another—believed to be Zac Rinehart—was on foot, reportedly performing roadside duties such as picking up debris or trash. A semi-truck left its lane, striking the worker on foot, then colliding with the OTA vehicle containing the other worker. 2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa
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The worker on foot was killed immediately (presumed to be Zac Rinehart).
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The second worker was critically injured and transported to a hospital in Joplin, Missouri. 2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa
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Turnpike Closure & Investigation: Eastbound lanes were shut down while authorities investigated the crash and cleared the scene. The incident remains under investigation. 2 News Oklahoma KJRH TulsaKOCO
Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date & Time | August 18, 2025, ~2:00 p.m. |
| Location | Eastbound I‑44, mile marker 315, Ottawa County (near Miami, OK) |
| Victim | OTA Heavy Equipment Operator II Zac Rinehart (deceased) |
| Injured | OTA coworker (critical condition, hospitalized) |
| Cause | Semi-truck veered into work zone, striking both worker (on foot) and OTA vehicle |
| Response | Turnpike lanes closed; investigation ongoing |
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