UPDATE: Deadly accident on I-44: OTA employee struck, semi-truck implicated
An Oklahoma Turnpike Authority worker tragically lost his life on the "Will Rogers Turnpike" near Miami after being hit by a semi-truck. The incident occurred in the eastbound lanes of I-44 around 2 p.m. According to the initial investigation, a semi-truck veered off the road, striking OTA employee Zachary Rinehart, 36, who was collecting debris on foot. Sadly, Rinehart was fatally injured in the accident. Another OTA employee, Colton Armstrong, 25, who was inside a parked OTA vehicle, was critically injured and taken to a hospital in Joplin. The driver of the semi-truck, who remained unharmed, mentioned to troopers that he had dropped an item and swerved off the road while trying to retrieve it. The incident is under ongoing investigation. Rinehart, in addition to his OTA position, was a respected volunteer firefighter at the Vinita Fire Department, and his passing was mourned deeply by his colleagues. The collective sense of loss was expressed by the department on its Facebook page, honoring Rinehart not only as a firefighter but as a dear member of their community. Rinehart was also an integral part of the Craig County Technical Rescue Task Force.
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