WHEN IT CRASHED. GOD. THAT’S RIGHT. FOUR PEOPLE WERE ON A SIMPLE ROAD TRIP, BUT NONE OF THEM WERE AWAKE AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. OHP SAYS SLEEPY DRIVING CAN BE JUST AS DANGEROUS AND DEADLY AS DRUNK DRIVING. WE’VE GOT RUMBLE STRIPS TO KIND OF HELP WAKE UP DRIVERS, BUT THAT DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK. MONDAY MORNING ALONG I-35 NEAR TONKAWA, A DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND CRASHED INTO A GROUP OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. THERE WAS A CAR THAT WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND. I DROVE OFF THE ROAD. THEY, UH, ALL INDICATIONS ARE THEY FELL ASLEEP. UH, AND STRUCK THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. THREE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WERE DOING WORK ON THE EMBANKMENT NEAR MILE MARKER 217 WHEN THAT CAR CAME BARRELING OFF THE ROAD. ONE OF THEM DIED ON SCENE. IF THEY’RE SLEEPY, THEY NEED TO PULL OVER. SLEEPY DRIVING IS AS DANGEROUS AS DRUNK DRIVING. A CHP ALSO SAYS DRIVERS NEED TO BE MINDFUL IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES AND BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SPEED LIMIT. WHILE THE DRIVER WASN’T ARRESTED ON SCENE, OHP SAYS THIS WILL BE INVESTIGATED AS A TRAFFIC HOMICIDE, BUT IT’S ULTIMATELY UP TO THE KAY COUNTY DA’S OFFICE IF CHARGES WILL BE FILED AND COMING UP TONIGHT AT SIX, WE’RE ACTUALLY TALKING WITH A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION ABOUT WHERE OKLAHOMA RANKS FOR DISTRACTED DRIVING AND THEIR MESSAGE TO YOU
OHP: 1 construction worker dead, 2 taken to hospital after being hit by vehicle on I-35 in Kay County
Information about the victims has not been released
![KOCO logo]()
Updated: 6:26 PM CDT Mar 25, 2024
Authorities say a construction worker died after a vehicle struck three workers Monday morning on Interstate 35 in northern Oklahoma.| MORE | Nonprofit sounds alarm on sleepy driving after deadly I-35 crash that hit construction workersOklahoma Highway Patrol officials say a vehicle hit the three construction workers in the southbound lanes of I-35 at mile marker 216 near Tonkawa in Kay County. One of the workers has died, and the other two were taken to a hospital in unknown conditions.They were contract workers who did not work for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Jacob Matuszczak, a 19-year-old construction worker from Wichita, Kansas, died on the scene as a result of the crash near Tonkawa. Two other workers were injured.>> Download the KOCO 5 AppThe Oklahoma Highway Patrol shut down the southbound lanes of I-35 for a little over four hours. The highway has since reopened. Top Headlines Crews battle fire at popular Edmond restaurants, prevent flames from spreading to other businesses TIMELINE: Strong front could bring snow to northwestern Oklahoma on Monday Motorcyclist dies in crash that closed I-240 near I-35 for hours Sunday brings severe thunderstorm, tornado warnings across Oklahoma March Madness Day 4 recap
KAY COUNTY, Okla. — Authorities say a construction worker died after a vehicle struck three workers Monday morning on Interstate 35 in northern Oklahoma.
| MORE | Nonprofit sounds alarm on sleepy driving after deadly I-35 crash that hit construction workers
Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials say a vehicle hit the three construction workers in the southbound lanes of I-35 at mile marker 216 near Tonkawa in Kay County. One of the workers has died, and the other two were taken to a hospital in unknown conditions.
They were contract workers who did not work for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Jacob Matuszczak, a 19-year-old construction worker from Wichita, Kansas, died on the scene as a result of the crash near Tonkawa. Two other workers were injured.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol shut down the southbound lanes of I-35 for a little over four hours. The highway has since reopened.
Top Headlines
