Truck driver admits to watching anime in moments before fatal crash

A truck driver has admitted to watching anime in the moments before a fatal crash in Oklahoma earlier this year. 

The accident happened on August 18th on Interstate 44 in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. An affidavit was filed this month. 

According to 2 News Oklahoma, 50-year-old  David Ray Carlson was driving a semi truck on eastbound I-44 near mile marker 315 when he left his lane and struck a parked Oklahoma Turnpike Authority vehicle and OTA employee Zac Rinehart, who was outside of the vehicle. Another OTA employee inside of the vehicle was injured in the accident. Carlson was not hurt in the accident. 

Carlson initially told investigators that he had dropped his phone while driving, and crashed the tractor trailer while trying to retrieve it. Carlson has since admitted that he was watching anime at the time of the crash, but told investigators that he only uses it as background noise to “keep from zoning out.” Witnesses told troopers that Carlson was having trouble maintaining his lane prior to the crash, and dash cam videos from other vehicles confirm this claim. 

Carlson is charged with first degree manslaughter. He is scheduled to be arraigned on November 5th.