Zachary Rinehart Killed in Semi-Truck Collision on I-44 in Miami, Oklahoma

On August 18, 2025, Zachary Rinehart, 36, an employee of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA), was fatally struck by a semi-truck on the eastbound lanes of the Will Rogers Turnpike (I-44), just east of the Miami exit. Rinehart had exited his vehicle to clear roadway debris when the truck, drifting off the right side of the highway, collided with him and subsequently struck a parked OTA vehicle with another employee inside.

The second OTA worker was critically injured and transported to a hospital in Joplin. The driver of the semi-truck was unharmed and told investigators he had momentarily diverted his attention to retrieve a dropped device. Authorities have confirmed the incident as a preventable accident and continue to investigate.