On a seemingly ordinary Monday afternoon, August 18, 2025, the Will Rogers Turnpike near Miami, Oklahoma, became the scene of a heartbreaking tragedy that claimed the life of a dedicated public servant and left another clinging to hope in a hospital bed. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) is mourning the loss of Zac Rinehart, a Heavy Equipment Operator II who had served with unwavering commitment for two years, while praying for the recovery of his critically injured colleague.
The incident unfolded around 2 p.m. near mile marker 315, just east of the Miami exit on Interstate 44’s eastbound lanes. Zac Rinehart, a valued member of the OTA’s Will Rogers Turnpike maintenance crew and a volunteer firefighter with the Vinita Fire Department, was diligently collecting debris along the roadside. His co-worker, whose identity remains unreleased, was stationed inside a parked OTA work truck on the shoulder. In a split second, their routine maintenance work turned catastrophic when a semi-truck veered off the roadway, striking Rinehart and then colliding with the parked vehicle.
The impact was devastating. Rinehart, who was on foot, was killed instantly, his life cut short in the line of duty. His colleague, shielded only by the truck, sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a hospital in Joplin, Missouri, where they remain in a fight for survival. The semi-truck driver, unharmed, stayed at the scene and is cooperating with authorities, but preliminary investigations point to a chilling cause: inattention. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), the driver admitted to reaching for a dropped GPS device, a fleeting distraction that led to irreversible consequences.
The crash sent shockwaves through the community and the OTA, prompting an immediate response. The eastbound lanes of the Will Rogers Turnpike were shut down for several hours as emergency crews worked tirelessly to clear the scene and investigators pieced together the events. Traffic was diverted at Exit 313 in Miami, with motorists rerouted via US-69/US-59 to re-enter the turnpike in Afton. By 5 p.m., the roadway was reopened, but the weight of the tragedy lingered far beyond the asphalt.
Zac Rinehart was more than an OTA employee; he was a pillar of service, both on the turnpike and in his community. As a volunteer firefighter, he embodied the spirit of selflessness, risking his safety to protect others. The OTA, in a heartfelt statement, expressed the profound grief felt across the organization: “This loss is felt by each of his co-workers statewide, and OTA extends its deepest sympathy to the Rinehart family. We ask that Oklahomans keep Rinehart, his family, and his injured co-worker in their thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time.” The Vinita Fire Department echoed this sentiment, mourning the loss of a brother who served with courage and dedication.
The OHP, led by Lieutenant Mark Southall, continues to investigate the crash, initially misidentifying the workers as employees of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) before correcting the record to confirm their OTA affiliation. While the investigation is ongoing, the early findings serve as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by roadside workers and the critical need for driver vigilance, especially in work zones.
This tragedy casts a somber shadow over Oklahoma’s highways, highlighting the risks taken daily by those who maintain them. As the OTA and the community rally around the Rinehart family and the injured worker, the call for safer roads grows louder. For now, Zac Rinehart’s legacy endures in the hearts of those he served, a testament to a life dedicated to keeping Oklahoma’s turnpikes safe, even at the ultimate cost.