OTTAWA COUNTY, Oklahoma — A newly filed affidavit reveals that a semi-truck driver charged with first-degree manslaughter admitted to watching an anime video on his cell phone moments before a crash that killed an Oklahoma Turnpike Authority employee.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), 50-year-old David Ray Carlson was driving a 2024 Freightliner Cascadia eastbound on Interstate 44 near mile marker 315 in Ottawa County on August 18, 2025, when he veered off the road and struck two Turnpike Authority workers who were parked on the shoulder collecting trash.

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Zachary “Zac” Rinehart, a father, husband, and volunteer firefighter from Vinita, was killed instantly, and his co-worker Colton Armstrong was seriously injured.

Investigators said dashcam footage from inside Carlson’s truck showed that an anime movie or series was playing at the time of the crash. Carlson told troopers he uses anime “for noise to keep from zoning out,” but OHP reports that the footage, along with witness statements, showed he had trouble maintaining his lane before impact.

Carlson initially claimed that his phone had fallen from a magnetic mount and that he was trying to retrieve it when the semi drifted off the highway and hit the workers. Multiple inspections found no steering or mechanical defects in the truck, according to OHP.

Rinehart’s wife, Danni, said the crash was entirely preventable and hopes it raises awareness about distracted driving. “There is no reason not to obey the law and keep everyone safe, so everyone can go home,” she said.

Rinehart leaves behind two young daughters, ages 2 and 6. Danni’s 16-year-old stepson, Westyn, is currently battling a terminal brain tumor.

Tulsa attorney Dan Smolen, representing the family, said they are pursuing a civil case to investigate whether Carlson’s employer followed proper safety and testing protocols. “The equipment is really heavy, moving at a high rate of speed, and if you have someone not paying attention, you’re going to have lives lost,” Smolen said.

According to court records, the affidavit was filed in October, and an arrest warrant was issued for Carlson on October 3. He is now formally charged with first-degree manslaughter and is scheduled to be arraigned on November 5, 2025.

According to KJRH, the affidavit marks the first public confirmation that the driver had been watching anime during the crash.

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