Troopers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol responded to a two-vehicle, fatal collision on I-35 near SH-33 in Logan County last Thursday at approximately 2:18 p.m.
They determined that Jonathan Bush, 40, the driver of a box truck, struck a parked
Oklahoma Department of Transportation truck, which was unoccupied at the time and positioned in a closed lane leading into an active work zone.
Tragically, the passenger in the box truck died. A preliminary investigation indicates that the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Troopers are still investigating.
This was a preventable collision and a preventable death, according to the Oklahoma
Highway Patrol. Drowsy driving is extremely dangerous. Fatigue slows reaction time,
impairs judgment, and can lead to micro-sleeps, which can cause serious crashes.
Micro-sleeps are very brief episodes of sleep that last a few seconds, often without the
person being aware of it. Officials say if you feel sleepy, pull over in a safe area and take a 20-30 minute nap, or let someone else drive. Caffeine may help temporarily, but it is not a substitute for actual sleep.
ODOT workers were on foot in the work zone, but no one was injured. Troopers ask that everyone drive safely through work zones since the risks and vulnerabilities are especially high for those workers doing their jobs.
