Texas Trucker Charged in Fatal Oklahoma Turnpike Crash

Oklahoma Turnpike Worker Killed, Another Injured in Ottawa County

A Texas truck driver faces serious charges after a deadly crash on the Oklahoma Turnpike. Authorities say 50-year-old David Carlson, of Texas, was watching a TV show on his phone when his semi-truck plowed into two highway workers near the scene of a maintenance project in Ottawa County.

The crash killed 36-year-old Zachary Rhinehart, an employee with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, and critically injured another worker whose name has not yet been released.

Investigators with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol say Carlson’s truck drifted out of its lane, striking the workers and multiple vehicles before coming to a stop. Troopers found evidence on his phone that he was streaming a television program at the time of the collision.

Prosecutors File Manslaughter Charge

Ottawa County prosecutors charged Carlson with first-degree manslaughter, citing “reckless disregard for human life.” He is being held in the Ottawa County Jail pending a court appearance.

Officials with the Turnpike Authority say the incident is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by highway workers.

Turnpike spokesperson Rachel Wagner said crews work in dangerous environments daily. “Drivers must slow down and pay attention. This didn’t have to happen.”

Rhinehart, who worked with the OTA for nearly a decade, leaves behind a wife and two young children.

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